*2.3.1 Semiconductor in MMIC devices*

Si CMOS MMIC modules are low power and low-cost devices. Si CMOS MMIC modules may operate in frequencies lower than 0.2THz. SiGe MMIC devices are used as medium power high gain devices. SiGe MMIC modules may operate in frequencies lower than 0.2THz. InP HBTs modules may operate in frequencies lower


**Table 2.**

*Comparison of material properties in MMIC technology.*

than 0.4THz. InP HBT modules are used as high frequency medium power high gain devices. InP HEMT modules may operate in frequencies lower than 0.6THz. InP HEMT devices are used as high frequency medium power high gain devices. Properties of MMIC technologies are presented in **Table 3**. PHEMT, 0.15micron, on GaAs substrate is shown in **Figure 5**.


#### **Table 3.**

*Summary of semiconductor for MMIC technology.*

**9**

**Figure 6.**

*Wide band MMIC mm-wave power amplifier.*

*Introductory Chapter: Ultra-Wideband Technologies DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.97675*

**2.5 MMIC modules and applications**

• Ka band satellite communication.

• 60GHz wireless communication.

**MMIC Applications**

• Automotive Radars

• Imaging in security

• Gbit WLAN

**2.4 Generation of microwave signals in microwave and mm wave**

RF Signals can be excited in vacuum-tube based devices and in solid-state oscillators. Solid state modules are produced on semiconductors such as silicon, SiGe, gallium arsenide, GaN and include bipolar junction transistors (BJTs), field-effect transistors (FETs), Gunn diodes, and IMPATT diodes. RF variations of BJTs include the heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT), and RF variants of FETs include the MESFET, the HEMT, and LDMOS transistor. RF waves can be generated and processed using MIC circuits and MMICs. Traditionally these modules are produced on gallium arsenide wafers. However, silicon germanium and heavy-dope silicon are recently used to produce high power modules. Vacuum tube high power modules operate on the ballistic motion of electrons in a vacuum under the influence of controlling magnetic or electric fields. These devices work in the density modulated mode, rather than the current modulated mode. They work on clumps of electrons flying ballistically through them. These devices include traveling wave tube, klystron, magnetron, and gyrotron.

A wide band Ka band power Amplifier is shown in **Figure 6**. The input power is divided by using a splitter. The microwave signal is amplified by power amplifiers

A Ka Band wideband non reflective MMIC Pin diode SPDT is shown in **Figure 7**.

and combined by a power combiner to get the desired output power.

MMIC process cost per the MMIC area is given in **Table 4**.

**Figure 5.** *Photo of 0.15micron PHEMT MMIC on GaAs substrate.*
