A compact C-band down converter SiP with integrated LO in a metal ceramic package

This paper presents the design and development of a compact C-band down converter realized in a 12mm×12mm surface mount metal ceramic package. The size reduction has been achieved by development of compact sized MMIC components required for the receiver, viz., a double balanced mixer, a voltage controlled oscillator with on-chip varactor and RF and IF amplifiers. All the MMICs have been designed and fabricated using indigenously developed 0.7μm GaAs MESFET (G7A) technology at GAETEC. The receiver works in a frequency range of 5.0–6.0 GHz and produces down converted signal in 500–1500 MHz band when beaten with internal LO of the receiver, operated at 4.5 GHz. The conversion gain of the receiver is 27dB with a noise figure of 5dB. The RF-IF and LO-IF isolation of better than 25dB is achieved though EM optimized placement of MMICs and isolation barriers inside the package.