Microwave Probing Measurements with a Monolithic Six-Port Module (MSPM)

This paper presents the design of monolithic six-port module MSPM with resistive bridges. It shows how these simple structures may act as directional resistive couplers. Final MMIC circuit includes six-port junction and matched MESFET detectors covering an area of 1.2 mm2 in the frequency range 100 MHz to 3 GHz. The MSPM was bonded in a MIC structure with output coaxial connectors. Experimental results obtained using a commercial network analyzer and our measurement system are in good agreement. The magnitude and the phase variation between the two measurement systems are equal to .2dB and 2 degrees for respective modulus values of 0, 6, 12 dB. For a nominal 20 dB return loss load, the differences are respectively equal to 0.5dB and 5 degrees in the operational frequency band. In a second step, the measurement system was integrated inside the tips of a probe station and experimental results will be available at the ARFTG session.