Affordable MMIC technology trade offs for millimeter-wave communications-a matter of choice

In the past, millimeter-wave technology applications have been dominated by high-end military sensor and communications applications where cost, though important, was not the primary consideration. The same performance characteristics that made millimeter-wave frequencies attractive for military applications have fueled the current growth in the 23 GHz and 38 GHz frequency bands for wireless point-to-point communications. We, like other MMW component suppliers, have had to go through a paradigm shift in our approach to this market. The key focus here is on cost and schedule. Performance requirements are defined in terms of minimum specifications and the customer has little interest and motivation in higher price/cost for products that exceed required performance levels. This paper discusses the technology/cost tradeoffs carried out at Hughes to achieve affordable MMIC chip sets in production.