Monolithic integrated millimeter-wave IMPATT transmitter in standard CMOS technology

Abstract

This paper describes impact avalanche transit time (IMPATT) diodes fabricated in 0.18-μm standard complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor technology to enable operation at 77 GHz. The lateral IMPATT diodes are integrated with a microstrip patch antenna, modified to provide impedance matching and widen the tuning range. The antenna dimensions and the impedance matching are designed using the high-frequency electromagnetic field solver Sonnet. The output spectrum has no visible spurious components. The transmitted power is -62 dB m at 76 GHz. The measured frequency is within 1.3% of the simulated value. It is hoped that this device will find application in automotive and communication systems. © 2005 IEEE.