A 220 GHz GaN-based monolithic integrated frequency doubler delivering over 0.25 W output power

Abstract

A 220 GHz GaN-based monolithic integrated frequency doubler with high continuous-wave output power has been developed. The doubler achieves improved heat dissipation by establishing the terahertz (THz) monolithic integrated circuit topology with GaN Schottky barrier diodes integrated on a high thermal conductivity SiC substrate. It features six anodes to enhance the power-handling capabilities. A refractory Schottky metal stack is adopted for better thermal stability. The doubler realizes satisfactory performance by introducing the suspended microstrip and an all-in-one output structure. For verification, a prototype of the proposed frequency doubler was fabricated and tested. Measured results show that the proposed doubler produces a continuous-wave output power of 255 mW at 220 GHz with an efficiency of 14.6%, exhibiting excellent potential for powerful THz sources.