MHEMT G-band low-noise amplifiers

To improve the performance of $G$ -band equipment for humidity sounding of the atmosphere, a high-gain and low-noise amplifier is needed. Here, the performances of 165 and 183 GHz low-noise amplifier microchips intended for atmospheric water vapor profiling application are reported. The microchips are manufactured in metamorphic high-electron mobility transistor technology having a gate length of 50 nm. The on-wafer measured results show noise figures of 4.4–7.4 dB and 16–25 dB gain at the operating frequencies. In addition, two of the amplifiers were assembled in waveguide packages and the measured results show a gain of 19–20 dB and 7 dB noise figure at both 165 and 183 GHz.