Millimeter Wave Metal-Insulator-Metal Detector/Mixer Diode.
Abstract
This report describes the fabrication of metal-insulator-metal (MIM) structures for use as broadband detectors and mixers in the microwave and mm region. Two types of structures have been fabricated: a point contact diode based on a tungsten whisker in contact with a nickel post through its natural oxide layer (MOM), and a planar diode fabricated by deposition of discontinuous metal films on a glass substrate. Primary efforts were directed at overcoming the known instability of the point contact diode and improving the low responsivity of the planar film diode. The final MOM point contact diode acquired a controlled hooked whisker tip that demonstrated sufficient cushioning action against ambient vibrations and provided a free and end pointing slightly away from the junction area, thus introducing minimum degradation to diode performance. This enabled the diode to better accommodate thermal expansion under high power radiation with little degradation of performance. The nickel coated quartz post resolved the problem of significant variations in the metal-metal spacing due to ambient temperature fluctuations. Such a diode has shown stable X band detected output with less than 10% signal level fluctuations over three weeks under room temperature fluctuations form 50 F to 95 F and normal room vibrations.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 1983
- Accession Number
- ADA138391
Entities
People
- Chao Yu
Organizations
- North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University