Recent Advances In Cryogenic Monolithic Millimeter-wave Integrated Circuit (MMIC) Low Noise Amplifiers For Astrophysical Observations

In this work, we discuss advances in high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) low noise amplifier (LNA) monolithic millimeter-wave integrated circuits (MMICs) for use as front end amplifiers in ultra-low noise receivers. Applications include focal plane arrays for studying the polarization of the cosmic microwave background radiation and foreground separation, receiver arrays for molecular spectroscopy, and high redshift CO surveys for probing the epoch of reionization. Recent results and a summary of best indium phosphide (InP) low noise amplifier data will be presented.

Cryogenic MMIC LNAs using state-of-the-art InP technology have achieved record performance, and have advantages over other detectors in the 30-300 GHz range. InP MMIC LNAs operate at room temperature and may achieve near-optimum performance at 20K, a temperature readily achieved with modern cryo-coolers. In addition, wide-bandwidth LNAs are suitable for heterodyne applications as well as direct detector applications. Recent results include Ka-band MMICs with 15K noise temperature performance, and Q-Band MMICs with on-wafer measured cryogenic noise of 12K at 38 GHz. In addition, W-Band amplifiers with 25K noise temperature at 95 GHz will be presented, as well as wide-band LNAs with noise temperature below 45K up to 116 GHz. At higher frequencies, we will discuss progress on MMIC LNAs and receiver modules in G-Band (140-220 GHz), where our group has achieved less than 60K receiver noise temperature at 166 GHz. We will address extending the high performance of these MMIC LNAs to even higher frequencies for spectroscopic surveys, and make projections on future performance given current trends. These MMIC amplifiers can play a key role in future ground-based and space-based instruments for astrophysical observations.