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2140 IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON MICROWAVE THEORY AND TECHNIQUES, VOL. 57, NO. 9, SEPTEMBER 2009
(1) where
(2)
(3)
(4) where
(6)
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AHN et al.: GROUP DELAY EQUALIZED UWB InGaP/GaAs HBT MMIC AMPLIFIER 2141
Fig. 4. Equivalent circuit of the developed group delay equalized InGaP/GaAs HBT MMIC amplifier with an active balun.
Vector loci of and in a polar coordinate are obtained the region where the vector rotates in a positive direction
to subtract the second terms of (4) and (5) from , as shown in expresses the NGD region. As shown in Fig. 3(c), the proposed
Fig. 3(a) and (b), respectively. NGD circuit can possess the NGD region from a low fre-
Similarly, using the NGD circuit is derived as (7), quency with a resistive loss.
shown at the bottom of this page, where
III. GROUP DELAY EQUALIZATION BY CONNECTING NGD
CIRCUIT AT INPUT PORT
A three-cell NGD circuit [6] was added at the input port of
the UWB MMIC amplifier [10] to equalize the group delay
characteristic of the amplifier. Fig. 4 shows an equivalent cir-
An angular frequency at the phase shift of , except for cuit of the UWB MMIC amplifier with the three-cell NGD cir-
, is similarly defined as as follows: cuit. The HBTs – have a single-emitter structure whose
emitter mesa area is 2 20 m . has GHz,
GHz, pF, pF, and mS
(8) at a bias of V and V. The ampli-
fier circuit has an active balun circuit, which is used to drive
Equation (8) is defined in the case of . In this case, a UWB self-complimentary antenna in differential mode [14].
the transition of the phase shift for increasing the angular Thus, the amplifier was evaluated as a single-ended input to a
frequency is as follows: differential-mode output system.
Fig. 5 shows simulated results of the gain characteristic
without the NGD circuit in which the value of a peaking
inductor was varied. The value of the peaking inductor
corresponds to the intrinsic part of an equivalent circuit of the
In the case of , the transition of the phase shift inductor in this simulation. The peaking inductor was inserted
for increasing the angular frequency is as follows: to compensate for the gain in the high-frequency region in the
UWB band. Generally, maximally flat gain and flat group delay
variation cannot be achieved at the same time. Consideration
of both gain flatness and flat group delay variation is required
for the UWB applications. When the gain characteristic is flat,
From (7), the vector loci of for the two cases are shown in the group delay characteristic has a convex characteristic in the
Fig. 3(c). Since the group delay is expressed as , high-frequency region due to the peaking inductor. When the
(7)
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2142 IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON MICROWAVE THEORY AND TECHNIQUES, VOL. 57, NO. 9, SEPTEMBER 2009
Fig. 5. Effects of L on the simulated gain and the group delay before com-
pensation using an NGD circuit. Fig. 6. Chip photograph: measured and simulated results of the three-cell NGD
circuit with small input and output return losses.
(9)
(10)
(11)
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AHN et al.: GROUP DELAY EQUALIZED UWB InGaP/GaAs HBT MMIC AMPLIFIER 2143
Fig. 8. Equivalent circuit of the developed group delay equalized MMIC with the one-cell NGD circuits inserted into the feedback loop.
foundry service Win Semiconductor Company, Tao Yuan Consequently, the group delay equalization method based on
Shien, Taiwan. The parameter values were adjusted so that the the cascade connection using the NGD circuit is simple because
group delay characteristic of the UWB MMIC amplifier was the total group delay is expressed as the sum of each group
equalized. For the simulation, the MMIC substrate specification delay. However, impedance matching has to be adjusted as well
and circuit models including parasitic elements were supplied as group delay in the NGD circuit. In addition, large gain degra-
by the foundry service company. As shown in Fig. 6, the NGD dation occurs due to the multistage structure of the NGD circuit.
characteristic was confirmed at 1.5–5 GHz. In addition, input Though the higher band gain is intentionally lowered, the inser-
and output return losses were more than 15 dB. However, about tion loss still disturbs gain flatness of the equalized MMIC am-
a 5-dB insertion loss was also observed in a region of the gain plifier. Therefore, the NGD compensator have to be redesigned
band of the UWB MMIC amplifier. From (10), this insertion so that the total gain characteristic of the equalized MMIC am-
loss will distort the gain flatness of the UWB MMIC amplifier plifier becomes flat in the gain band.
including the NGD circuit. Therefore, the amplifier circuit have
to be designed so that the total gain characteristic becomes flat
in the UWB band. IV. GROUP DELAY EQUALIZATION BY CONNECTING
Fig. 7 shows a photograph of a fabricated group delay equal- NGD CIRCUIT INTO FEEDBACK LOOP
ized InGaP/GaAs MMIC amplifier along with the measured and
simulated results. Considering practical linewidth and resultant In order to avoid the large gain degradation by increasing the
chip area, the characteristic impedance of the lines in this paper stage of the NGD circuit, a one-cell NGD circuit was integrated
is about 70 in our InGaP/GaAs MMIC layer . It into the UWB MMIC amplifier [10]. However, the amplifier
was reported that the sinusoidal group delay variation is caused has a relatively large and wideband group delay variation that
by the transmission line impedance mismatch [15]. However the cannot be compensated for by the one-cell NGD circuit when
group delay variation caused by the mismatch is negligible be- the one-cell NGD circuit is connected at the input port of the
cause the line lengths are not so long. The MMIC was mea- amplifier under the 50- condition. Hence, the one-cell NGD
sured as a three-port system using an Agilent PNA-X series circuit was inserted into the feedback loop where the impedance
four-port network analyzer. The output was transformed from for the one-cell NGD circuit is not 50 and has reactance. Since
two 50- single-ended ports to one 100- differential port using all measured results were in agreement with the simulated re-
the measured three-port -parameter. In the measurement, each sults, as shown in Fig. 7(b), the appropriate insertion point in
port was directly contacted by using 150- m pitch air-coplanar the feedback loop was determined by the simulation.
ground–signal–ground (G–S–G) probes. For the bias lines on Fig. 8 shows an equivalent circuit of the UWB MMIC ampli-
the MMIC, external bypass chip capacitors with the capacitance fier with two types of one-cell NGD circuits. The one-cell NGD
of 390 pF were connected through bonding wires. circuit was inserted before the first transistor as prescribed
As shown in Fig. 7(b), the group delay characteristic was by the simulation results. The circuit parameters of the amplifier
equalized from 3.1 to 5 GHz using the NGD circuit. As a re- were the same as those for the amplifier circuit shown in Fig. 4.
sult, the measured group delay variation in the UWB band was The one-cell NGD circuit (b) in Fig. 8 is the proposed NGD
reduced from 38.5 to 8.6 ps. At the same time, however, about circuit in which the transmission is suppressed in the low-fre-
a 5-dB gain degradation occurred from 3 to 4 GHz and about quency region by a series circuit. Fig. 9 shows photographs
a 3.2-dB gain degradation occurred on average in the UWB of fabricated one-cell NGD MMICs circuits in Fig. 8 along with
band. The differences between the simulated and measured re- the measured and simulated results. Both NGD circuits show
sults were mainly caused by the deviations between the model similar group delay performance and lower loss characteristics
parameters and fabricated components. than the three-cell NGD circuit. The one-cell NGD circuit (b)
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2144 IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON MICROWAVE THEORY AND TECHNIQUES, VOL. 57, NO. 9, SEPTEMBER 2009
Fig. 9. (a) and (b) Fabricated NGD circuit. (c) Their measured and simulated
results.
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AHN et al.: GROUP DELAY EQUALIZED UWB InGaP/GaAs HBT MMIC AMPLIFIER 2145
Fig. 11. (a) Fabricated group delay equalized MMIC amplifier using the NGD Fig. 12. (a) Fabricated group delay equalized MMIC amplifier using the NGD
circuit (a) shown in Fig. 8. (b) and (c) Its measured and simulated results. circuit (b) shown in Fig. 8. (b) and (c) Its measured and simulated results.
analyze the impact of on the NGD characteristic. The an- shown in Fig. 8 along with the measured and simulated re-
alytical results in Fig. 10(d) show that the NGD area decreases sults. The NGD circuit was inserted so that the length of the
as increases. wiring line in the feedback loop was unchanged. In Fig. 11(b),
Fig. 11 shows a photograph of a fabricated group delay equal- the group delay characteristic was equalized from 3.1 to 5 GHz
ized InGaP/GaAs MMIC amplifier using the NGD circuit (a) using the one-cell NGD circuit whose parameters were adjusted
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2146 IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON MICROWAVE THEORY AND TECHNIQUES, VOL. 57, NO. 9, SEPTEMBER 2009
TABLE I gain was also decreased by about 3.2 dB. In another approach,
MEASURED GROUP DELAY AND GAIN IN FULL-BAND UWB BAND a one-cell NGD circuit was inserted into the feedback loop of
(3.1–10.6 GHz); MERITS AND DEMERITS OF THE
TWO COMPENSATION TECHNIQUES the MMIC amplifier. Two types of one-cell NGD circuits were
tested. For the reported NGD circuit, the group delay variation
decreased to 9.1 ps in the UWB band with a reduced gain de-
terioration of 1.0 dB. However, a redundant gain peak was ob-
served at 2 GHz. For the proposed NGD circuit, the group delay
variation decreased to 7.9 ps in the UWB band with low gain de-
terioration and effective gain suppression at less than 3.1 GHz.
REFERENCES
[1] R. J. Fontana, “Recent system applications of short-pulse ultra-wide-
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[2] Y. Park, C.-H. Lee, J. D. Cressler, and J. Laskar, “The analysis of UWB
in simulation, though the shape of the group delay characteristic sige HBT LNA for its noise, linearity, and minimum group delay varia-
tion,” IEEE Trans. Microw. Theory Tech., vol. 54, no. 4, pp. 1687–1697,
of the NGD circuit itself is different from that of the three-cell Apr. 2006.
NGD circuit shown in Fig. 6. The measured group delay varia- [3] K. Murase, R. Ishikawa, and K. Honjo, “Group delay compensation
tion in the UWB band was reduced from 38.5 to 9.1 ps. The gain technique for UWB MMIC using composite right/left-handed circuit,”
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characteristic in the low-frequency region of the UWB band was [4] E. Hamidi and A. M. Weiner, “Post-compensation of ultra-wideband
improved by about 2.9 dB, and the gain characteristic in the antenna dispersion using microwave photonic phase filters and its ap-
UWB band was improved by about 2.2 dB (in comparison with plications to UWB systems,” IEEE Trans. Microw. Theory Tech., vol.
57, no. 4, pp. 890–898, Apr. 2009.
that of the case using the three-cell NGD circuit). However, a [5] B. Ravelo, A. Perennec, and M. Le Roy, “Synthesis of broadband neg-
redundant gain peak was observed at 2 GHz. In Fig. 11(c), the ative group delay active circuits,” in IEEE MTT-S Int. Microw. Symp.
input return loss in the low-frequency region of the UWB band Dig., Jun. 2007, pp. 2177–2180.
[6] H. Noto, K. Yamauchi, M. Nakayama, and Y. Isota, “Negative group
was also improved since it was sensitive point where the NGD delay circuit for feed-forward amplifier,” in IEEE MTT-S Int. Microw.
circuit with loss was inserted in the feedback amplifier circuit. Symp. Dig., Jun. 2007, pp. 1103–1106.
Fig. 12 shows a photograph of a fabricated group delay equal- [7] S. Gharavi and M. Mojahedi, “Theory and application of gain-assisted
periodically loaded transmission lines with negative or superlu-
ized InGaP/GaAs MMIC amplifier using the NGD circuit (b) minal group delays,” in IEEE Int. AP-S Symp. Dig., Jun. 2007, pp.
shown in Fig. 8 along with the measured and simulated results. 2373–2376.
In Fig. 12(b), the group delay characteristic was also equalized [8] B. Ravelo, A. Perennec, and M. Le Roy, “Application of negative
group delay active circuits to reduce the 50% propagation delay of
from 3.1 to 5 GHz using the one-cell NGD circuit. The measured RC-line model,” in 12th IEEE Signal Propag. Interconnect Workshop,
group delay variation in the UWB band was reduced from 38.5 May 2008, pp. 12–15.
to 7.9 ps. The gain characteristic in the low-frequency region of [9] K.-P. Ahn, R. Ishikawa, M. Shimada, and K. Honjo, “Analysis and
compensation of the group delay for HBT using negative group delay
the UWB band was improved by about 2.2 dB in comparison circuits,” IEICE Trans. Commun., vol. J92-B, no. 1, pp. 11–19, Jan.
with that of the case using the three-cell NGD circuit, though 2009, (Japanese edition).
the gain degradation was a little larger than the case using the [10] I. Nakagawa, R. Ishikawa, K. Honjo, and M. Shimada, “InGaP/GaAs
HBT MMIC amplifier with active balun for ultra-wideband self-com-
NGD circuit (a) shown in Fig. 8. In addition, the gain at less than plementary antenna,” IEICE Trans. Electron., vol. E89-C, no. 12, pp.
3 GHz was suppressed by using the proposed NGD circuit (b) 1814–1820, Dec. 2006.
shown in Fig. 8. [11] H.-Y. Yang, Y.-S. Lin, and C.-C. Chen, “2.5 dB NF 3.1–10.6 GHz
CMOS UWB LNA with small group-delay variation,” Electron. Lett.,
The numerical results of the fabricated group delay equalized vol. 44, no. 8, pp. 528–529, Apr. 2008.
MMICs are listed in Table I. Using the NGD circuits, the group [12] A. Bevilacqua and A. M. Niknejad, “An ultrawideband CMOS low-
delay fluctuation can be suppressed by about 80%. In addition, noise amplifier for 3.1–10.6-GHz wireless receivers,” IEEE J. Solid-
State Circuits, vol. 39, no. 12, pp. 2259–2268, Dec. 2004.
the gain degradation can be prevented by effectively using the [13] C. D. Broomfield and J. K. A. Everard, “Broadband negative group
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[14] A. Saitou, T. Iwaki, K. Honjo, K. Sato, T. Koyama, and K. Watanabe,
“Practical realization of self-complementary broadband antenna on
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[15] D. Lanzinger, “Group delay caused by impedance mismatch,” in
NGD circuits were employed to equalize the group delay vari- ARFTG Conf. Dig., Jun. 1987, pp. 247–264.
ation in the broadband UWB InGaP/GaAs HBT MMIC ampli-
fier. The MMIC amplifier has a steep group delay increase in the Kyoung-Pyo Ahn (S’06) received the B.E. and the
lower frequency region of the full-band UWB band (3.1–10.6 M.E. degrees in radio sciences and engineering from
Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Korea, in
GHz) due to the sum of phase variations near the cutoff fre- 2003 and 2005, respectively, and is currently working
quencies of the HBTs. The NGD circuit was inserted to reduce toward the D.E. degree in information and commu-
this increase of the group delay in the UWB band. By adding nication engineering from the University of Electro-
Communications, Tokyo, Japan.
a three-cell NGD circuit while considering input and output His research interests focus on the development
matching at the input side of the MMIC amplifier, the group of MMIC amplifiers, filters, and antennas for UWB
delay variation was decreased from 38.5 to 8.6 ps. However, the applications.
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AHN et al.: GROUP DELAY EQUALIZED UWB InGaP/GaAs HBT MMIC AMPLIFIER 2147
Ryo Ishikawa (M’07) received the B.E., M.E., and Kazuhiko Honjo (M’82–SM’88–F’97) received the
D.E. degrees in electronic engineering from Tohoku B.E. degree from the University of Electro-Com-
University, Sendai, Japan, in 1996, 1998, and 2001, munications, Tokyo, Japan, in 1974, and the M.E.
respectively. and D.E. degrees in electronic engineering from
In 2001, he joined the Research Institute of the Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo, Japan, in
Electrical Communication, Tohoku University, 1976 and 1983, respectively.
Sendai, Japan. In 2003, he joined the University From 1976 to 2001, he was with the NEC
of Electro-Communications, Tokyo, Japan. His Corporation, Kawasaki, Japan. In 2001, he joined
research interest is the development of microwave the University of Electro-Communications, as a
compound semiconductor devices and related Professor with the Information and Communication
techniques. Engineering Department. He has been involved
Dr. Ishikawa is a member of the Institute of Electrical, Information and Com- in research and development of high-power/ broadband/low-distortion mi-
munication Engineers (IEICE), Japan, and the Japan Society of Applied Physics. crowave amplifiers, MMICs, HBT device and processing technology, miniature
He was the recipient of the 1999 Young Scientist Award for the Presentation of broadband microwave antennas and FDTD electromagnetic wave and device
an Excellent Paper of the Tohoku Chapter, Japan Society of Applied Physics. co-analysis.
Prof. Honjo is a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical, Information and Commu-
nication Engineers (IEICE), Japan. He was the recipient of the 1983 Microwave
Prize and the 1988 Microwave Prize presented by the IEEE Microwave Theory
and Techniques Society (IEEE MTT-S). He was also the recipient of the 1980
Young Engineer Award and the 1999 Electronics Award presented by the IEICE.
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