G-Band Signal Sources Towards Watt-Level Output Power in SiGe Technology

In this talk, we will present G-band power amplifiers in a SiGe technology with an fmax of 650GHz. We will present design techniques to boost the PAE of single PAs as much as possible. Further, the PAs will be enhanced using on-chip power combining methods to achieve the maximum possible output power from a single device. Balanced topology will be considered. To further increase the output power, we pursue spatial power combining. Near-field and far-field approaches will be compared, and methods will be presented to maximize radiation efficiency. The thermal issues arising due to low efficiency will be considered in detail. Finally, we present a signal source with an EIRP of 32dBm at 263GHz in a 2×2 array configuration, significantly beyond the state-of-the-art performance. We will discuss the next steps to exceed this power level in the future.