A packaged, low cost 17-20 GHz subharmonic downconverter for satellite receiver applications

In this paper we present a sub-harmonically pumped mixer using a mature, commercially available, low cost 0.5 /spl mu/m MESFET process. Housed in a BGA package, the downconverter IC forms an integral part of a receiver system solution in the 17-20 GHz band by supporting an IF of DC to 5 GHz. An on-board LO amplifier is incorporated reducing the drive level requirement to 0 dBm at 8-9 GHz. Due to the use of lumped element matching throughout the design, the mixer itself occupies only 0.2 mm/sup 2/ with an overall chip size of 0.7 mm/sup 2/. The integral LO amplifier is biased at +5 V, drawing 49 mA.