GaAs MMIC research and development in Australia

Rapid growth in the demand for millimetre-wave components in telecommunications and defence-related applications has resulted in an increasing need for monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs). In partnership with the Australian Department of Defence and commercial clients, CSIRO Telecommunications and Industrial Physics is putting a substantial research effort into developing MMIC-based telecommunication systems. MMlCs, fabricated using pseudomorphic HEMTs and Schottky diodes as active devices, cover a frequency range of 1-100 GHz. Diode-based mixers, multipliers, up and down converters, HEMT-based amplifiers (both for low-noise and power applications) and composite diode and HEMT-based circuits such as voltage control oscillators have been designed and successfully fabricated. These circuits have been used in applications such as wireless backhaul links and high-data-rate wireless communication and local-area networks. This paper presents an overview of CSIRO s MMIC development program