Low-Profile Harmonic Transponder for IoT Applications

This paper proposes a novel single-layer, low-profile harmonic transponder to be integrated with the printable diodes based on Si particles. The introduced prototype consists of two bowtie dipoles that are directly matched to the harmonic generation element at a fundamental 2.45GHz frequency and also at the corresponding second harmonic 4.9GHz frequency. Therefore, the antennas and T-matching parts can be manufactured as separate inlays using a single layer-substrate. Besides the new prototype, the harmonic conversion loss (CL) is theoretically and experimentally investigated. In this regard, the equivalent circuit is driven and utilized to analyze the CL performance with variations in fundamental frequency and input power. The introduced transponder outperforms the state-of-the-art work from the printability, size, and CL point of views.

A Millimeter-Wave 4th-Harmonic Schottky Diode Mixer with Integrated Local Oscillator

In this paper the design and experimental validation of a fourth-harmonic mixer based on Schottky diodes working around 300 GHz is presented. The main novelty of this work consists in the integration of an MMIC-based local oscillator, working around 75 GHz, and a mixer in the same metallic block housing. A prototype has been characterized using the Y-Factor method and yields a best measured conversion loss and an equivalent noise temperature of 14 dB and 9600 K, respectively. This performance is comparable to the state-of-the-art for this type of mixer.

A 560 GHz Sub-Harmonic Mixer Using Half-Global Design Method

In this paper, a 560 GHz terahertz sub-harmonic mixer using a new half-global design method is reported. This method combines the advantages of the subdivision design method and the global design method, and greatly enhances the abilities of the optimization of matching variables while retaining the portability of the unit circuit. When the local oscillator (LO) frequency was fixed with 3 mW power at 280 GHz, average up-conversion double sideband (DSB) conversion loss of 8 dB with intermediate frequency (IF) power of −5 dBm was achieved.

Design of 300 GHz Combined Doubler/Subharmonic Mixer Based on Schottky Diodes with Integrated MMIC Based Local Oscillator

In this paper the design and experimental characterization of a combined doubler-subharmonic mixer based on Schottky diodes which uses a 75 GHz MMIC based local oscillator is presented. This solution integrates in the same substrate the doubler and the mixer, which share the same metallic packaging with the local oscillator. The prototype has been fabricated and measured. For characterization, the Y-Factor technique has been used and the prototype yields a best conversion loss and equivalent noise temperature of 11 dB and 1976 K, respectively, at 305 GHz. This performance is close to the state of the art, and shows the potential of this approach, which allows a significant reduction in terms of size and volume.