Starting an MMIC design

[jadnounyah]

I am new to MMIC, mostly been doing hybrid designs, I have the s2p info for an active device but will that be enough to perform a design like for a simple amplifier?( I mean can I implement, the ideal transmission lines for the design since it will not be in actual lengths(mm/um) ?) .
Or I would need a full MMIC process info to do that?
If yes, ADS has some packages for MMIC (GAs and GaN I think), so can I use the pdk along side the active device s2p file I have? Thanks

The active device is the TGF2120 from Qorvo.

 

[BigBoss]

The procedure starts already in that way.
You start ideal components then convert them into practical ones then optimization after that many forward and backward iterations. This is the nature of this engineering discipline.
If that amplifier is small signal only, *.s2p's are good enough. If somehow Noise Parameters have been added , you can even design a Low Noise Amplifier.
If substrate information is not given, request technical support from WIN Foundry Service to able to design Transmission Lines.

 

[jadnounyah]

Thanks alot for such info, with the small signal, I think with the constraints of obtaining a device, I will have nothing to do with large signal analysis.

 

[volker@muehlhaus]

I don't understand your question.

The title says MMIC design, which usually means designing your own chip. But then you mention the TGF2120 device.

So what exactly are you planning to do? Do you want to design your own chip, or design something around the TGF2110? What technlogy?

 

[jadnounyah]

Yes please, I want to try a project on MMIC design and TGF2120 happens to work 0.25 um GaAs pHEMT technology from it's datasheet. Based on that, it should qualify for MMIC designs right? So I want to design something around the active device. A balanced amplifier, resistive feedback,etc. But I am lacking the corresponding pdk kit in the form of the resistors , inductors, capacitors, etc.

Will the technology being used affect the substrate I work in? (the substrates that supports chip designs I mean).

 

[volker@muehlhaus]

I don't understand what you are trying to do. Integrated circuit designs means you design everything on one chip, so how can you design something around the TGF2120 if you don't have the design data and don't have access to the manufacturing technolopogy or PDK? They will not give you that data.

If you want to design something around TGF2120 hardware, hybrid techology that you are already used to seems to be one possibility, or some PCB design using some rigid RF substrates (Rogers etc).

Or to implement things in MMIC technology, you need to design everything from scratch, using PDK from an MMIC foundry like this: https://www.ums-rf.com/rf-mmwave-foundry-services/

 

[jadnounyah]

Yhyh I know about this one, wanted to know if there was another way around it. But it seems there is still no way to use just the active device minus its CORRESPONDING foundry for MMIC designs.

Main access to the foundry as an individual is an uphill battle too. Thanks