Design Considerations for Low-Noise Highly-Linear Millimeter-Wave Mixers in SiGe Bipolar Technology

This paper presents design considerations for millimeter-wave mixers based on the Gilbert cell. The theory has been validated by a test chip fabricated in a 200 GHz f(T) SiGe:C bipolar technology. The chip has been designed for applications at 76 GHz. The measured single-sideband noise figure (NFSSB) is 11.2 dB while the conversion gain is 15 dB with an input-referred 1 dB compression point (ICP) and an input-referred third-order intercept point (IIP3) of +2.5 dBm and +8.5 dBm, respectively. The chip consumes 61 mA at a supply voltage of 5.5 V.