A 19GHz DRO downconverter MMIC for 77GHz automotive radar frontends in a SiGe bipolar production technology

A dielectric resonator oscillator (DRO) based 19 GHz downconverter is presented, which has been integrated in a 200 GHz f T SiGe production technology. The circuits, a negative resistance block and a mixer, have been designed differentially. The DRO is optimized for low phase noise and operates at typically 18 GHz. The mixer converts the by-4-devided signal of a 77 GHz fundamental oscillator to around 1 GHz. Mixer conversion gain is on the order of ntilde 16 dB and the input referred 1 dB compression point is about 0 dBm. Phase Noise of the DRO is ntilde115 dBc/Hz at an offset frequency of 100 kHz. The power dissipation of the complete MMIC is 94 mW, operating off a supply voltage of +5.5 V.