A 20-50 GHz reconfigurable matching network for power amplifier applications

A reconfigurable matching network has been developed and it is based on loaded line techniques. It consists of 8 switched MEMS capacitors producing 256 (2/sup 8/) different impedances and is only 1/spl times/2.5 mm in size on a glass substrate. The network is ideally suited to match power amplifiers with 10-20 /spl Omega/ output impedance to 50-60 /spl Omega/ systems at 20-50 GHz. The estimated loss of the network is only 1-1.5 dB at 40 GHz while matching a 10-20 /spl Omega/ load to a 50 /spl Omega/ load. The reconfigurable network can also be used as an impedance tuner in noise parameter and load-pull measurements of active devices at 30-65 GHz.