This paper reviews the advantages of the silicon three-dimensional MMIC technology such as low loss transmission lines, high integration level, and high Q-factor on-chip inductors. Coupled to the masterslice concept, this technology also offers simple design procedure, short turn-around-time, low cost, and potential integration with LSI circuits. A K-band amplifier and an up-converter demonstrate the high frequency operation and low-power consumption benefits of the Si 3-D MMIC technology. A C-band Si-bipolar single-chip transceiver is proposed to illustrate the high integration level offered by the masterslice concept. Finally, the recent advances we achieved toward high Q-factor on-chip inductors provide the design of the S-band low noise amplifier presented in this paper.

A subharmonic injection-locked oscillator (ILO) MMIC chain is proposed for the local oscillators and synthesizers used at millimeter-wave frequencies. A fabricated, primary 11-GHz-band injection-locked oscillator MMIC for the first stage ILO in the ILO-chain MMIC, achieves a wide subharmonic-injection-locking range at the subharmonic factors, 1/n (n=1, 2, 3, ), of 1/1, 1/2 and 1/3. The ILO MMIC abilities for synthesizer applications were confirmed with an injection-locking time of only 100-200 nsec, which is less than 1/100 that of PLL oscillators, and also with free-running oscillation performance and a wide injection locking range within a temperature range of -30 and 80.

A procedure for quickly developing highly integrated multifunctional MMICs by using the three-dimensional masterslice MMIC technology has been developed. The structures and advanced features of this technology, such as miniature transmission lines, a broadside coupler, and miniature function block circuits, enable multifunctional MMICs to be quickly and easily developed. These unique features and basic concept of the masterslice technology are discussed and reviewed to examine the advantages of this technology. As an example of quick MMIC development, an amplifier, a mixer, and a down-converter are fabricated on a newly designed master array.

Subharmonically Injection-locked oscillators (ILO's) with very wide injection-locking ability are presented. Two types of ILO MMIC's with this ability are proposed. The oscillation frequency tuning function of the ILO MMIC is very useful for expansion of the injection locking range at higher subharmonics. One consists of a shunt varactor diode inserted into the oscillation loop, and the other incorporates a vector-combining configuration with in-phase divider and 90 degree hybrid. Using three-dimensional MMIC's technology which can offer miniature and high-density passive circuits, the vector-combining type ILO is formed in a very compact area of 1. 7 mm2. Fabricated 20 GHz-band ILO achieves a wide tuning ranges of 870 MHz, resulting in a very wide locking range for higher subharmonics. The wide frequency tuning ability also reduces phase noise, shortens a locking time and compensates the center frequency deviation against temperature, as well as increasing locking range. The measured results show that the ILO configuration is extremely suitable for realizing simple, fully monolithic and low phase noise millimeter-wave frequency synthesizers.