Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

A novel gradient thermoelectric microwave power sensors based on GaAs MMIC technology

  • Technical Paper
  • Published:
Microsystem Technologies Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A novel gradient thermoelectric microwave power sensor is designed to improve the performance in this work. The thermocouples are designed with different lengths based on the thermal distribution of resistance. It is fabricated using GaAs MMIC technology, and it can be integrated with other planar circuit structures. The thermal distribution of the gradient thermoelectric microwave power sensor is simulated by ANSYS finite element software. The performances of the gradient thermoelectric microwave power sensors are measured. The result shows that return loss is better than − 25 dB at 8–12 GHz. It reveals that this structure has a low reflection loss and a good matching characteristic. The sensitivity is 9.6 mV/W@8 GHz, 8.7 mV/W@10 GHz and 7.8 mV/W@12 GHz, respectively, and an excellent linear relationship of the output voltage with the input microwave power is obtained. Therefore, this optimized design of thermocouples has certain reference value for thermoelectric microwave power sensors.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Cowles JC (2004) The evolution of integrated RF power measurement and control. In: Proceedings of the IEEE SENSORS, Limerick, Ireland, Oct 2011, pp 1958–1961. Proceedings of the 12th IEEE mediterranean electrotechnical conference, Dubrovnik, Croatia, 2004, pp 131–134

  • Dehe A, Krozer V, Fricke K, Klingbeil H, Beilenhoff K, Hartnagel HL (1995) Integrated microwave power sensor. Electron Lett 31(25):2187–2188

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dehe A, Klingbeil H, Krozer V, Fricke K, Beilenhoff K, Hartnagel HL (1996a) GaAs monolithic integrated microwave power sensor in coplanar waveguide technology. In: Proceedings of the IEEE 1996 microwave and millimeter-wave monolithic circuits symposium, San Francisco, CA, USA, pp 179–182

  • Dehe A, Krozer V, Chen B, Hartnagel HL (1996b) High-sensitivity microwave power sensor for GaAs-MMIC implementation. Electron Lett 32(23):2149–2150

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dehe A, Fricke K, Krozer V (2002) Broadband thermoelectric microwave power sensors using GaAs foundry process. In: IEEE MTT-S international microwave symposium digest, vol 3, no. 02CH37278, pp 1829–1832

  • Han L, Huang QA, Liao XP, Su S (2009) A micromachined inline-type wideband microwave power sensor based on GaAs MMIC technology. J Microelectromech Syst 18(3):705–714

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Randjelovic D, Petropoulos A, Kaltsas G, Stojanovic M, Lazic Z, Djuric Z, Matic M (2008) Multipurpose MEMS thermal sensor based on thermopiles. Sens Actuators A 141(2):404–413

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van Herwaarden AW, Sarro PM (1986) Thermal sensors based on the seebeck effect. Sens Actuators 10:321–346

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang DB, Liao XP (2010) A terminating-type MEMS microwave power sensor and its amplification system. J Micromech Microeng 20(7):075021

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang DB, Liao XP (2012) A novel MEMS double-channel microwave power sensor based on GaAs MMIC technology. Sens Actuators A 188:95–102

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang DB, Liao XP, Liu T (2012a) A thermoelectric power sensor and its package based on MEMS technology. J Microelectromech Syst 21(1):12–131

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang DB, Liao XP, Liu T (2012b) Optimization of indirectly-heated type microwave power sensors based on GaAs micromachining. IEEE Sens J 12(5):1349–1355

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Xu Q, Yang ZQ, Fu B, Li JH, Wu H, Zhang QH, Sun YN, Ding G, Zhao X (2016) A surface-micromachining-based inertial micro-switch with compliant cantilever beam as movable electrode for enduring high shock and prolonging contact time. Appl Surf Sci 387:569–580

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yi ZX, Liao XP (2016a) A 3D model of the thermoelectric microwave power sensor by MEMS technology. Sensors 16(6):921

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yi ZX, Liao XP (2016b) A cascaded terminating-type and capacitive-type power sensor for − 10-to 22-dBm application. IEEE Electron Device Lett 37(4):489–491

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yi ZX, Liao XP, Zhu Z (2011) An 8–12 GHz capacitive power sensor based on MEMS cantilever beam. In: Proceedings of the IEEE SENSORS, Limerick, Ireland, Oct 2011, pp 1958–1961

  • Yi ZX, Liao XP, Wu H (2013a) Modeling of the terminating-type power sensors fabricated by GaAs MMIC process. J Micromech Microeng 23(8):085033

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yi ZX, Liao XP, Wu H (2013b) 2-D model of the indirectly-heated type microwave power sensor based on GaAs MMIC process. In: Proceedings of the IEEE SENSORS, Valencia, Spain, pp 1–4

  • Zhang ZQ, Liao XP (2015) Suspended thermopile for microwave power sensors based on bulk MEMS and GaAs MMIC technology. IEEE Sens J 15(4):2019–2020

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang ZQ, Liao XP (2017) n + GaAs/AuGeNi-Au thermocouple-type RF MEMS power sensors based on dual thermal flow paths in GaAs MMIC. Sensors 17(6):1426–1433

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang ZQ, Guo Y, Li F, Gong YY, Liao XP (2016) A sandwich-type thermoelectric microwave power sensor for GaAs MMIC-compatible applications. IEEE Electron Device Lett 37(12):1639–1641

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (61704086, 51604157, 61704088, 11674173, 11934009 and 11874216), the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (2018B59914), the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province (BK20180188), and the Postgraduate Research & Practice Innovation Program of Jiangsu Province (KYCX18_0880, SJKY19_0267).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Shanghai Key Laboratory of Multidimensional Information Processing, School of Communication and Electronic Engineering, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China

    Chunhua Cai & Xing Wu

  2. College of Electronic and Optical Engineering & College of Microelectronics, Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunication, Nanjing, 210023, China

    Liangdong Wei & Debo Wang

Authors
  1. Chunhua Cai
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Liangdong Wei
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Xing Wu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Debo Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Xing Wu or Debo Wang.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Cai, C., Wei, L., Wu, X. et al. A novel gradient thermoelectric microwave power sensors based on GaAs MMIC technology. Microsyst Technol 27, 243–249 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00542-020-04942-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00542-020-04942-2

Search

Navigation