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MMIC design is a small world in three ways. Yes, these are small circuits, and there is just a small number of people doing this type of design work. Unfortunately, there are a lot of small minds out there, especially at Big Companies, who are praying for your design to fail so that their mediocre efforts are not revealed for what they are. Although it seems appropriate, it is not possible to post a video of Disney's It's a Small World on Microwaves101 because there is no version of that song that doesn't stink.
A MMIC is a monolithic microwave integrated circuit. This is where the rubber meets the road in any active microwave design. On this page we'll tie together the examples we have posted on MMIC designs. We'll give you an overview of the important features of designs, not an actual CAD file.
Send us some images (with permission from your corporation) of obsolete MMICs and we'll grade your work for free! Or send us a current design, and wrap it in some Benjamin, and we'll create a page that we all can learn from while you market your best MMICs!
Design techniques
EM analysis in MMIC design (new for March 2017)
MMIC LNA designs
Example X-band LNA with series and parallel feedback
MMIC switch designs
Example on shunt-shunt and series shunt-shunt X-band switches
Example on series shunt-shunt-shunt 18 GHz switch
Example of design, layout, and EM simulation of an SPDT switch (this one's a video!)
Here's an important consideration for designing with shunt switch elements that you need to know about!
MMIC phase shifter designs
Example 1: AMTL six bit S-band phase shifter
Example 2: Marconi six bit C-band phase shifter
MMIC gain block designs
Example C-band amp coming soon!
Mixed signal designs
Upconverter design coming soon