Potential of second-harmonic power generation in InP Gunn oscillators above 200 GHz

One of the critical challenges facing the progress of millimeter and submillimeter-wave systems is the development of compact, efficient and reliable local oscillators that can generate low-noise and adequate output power levels. Recent theoretical and experimental results have established that fundamental-mode operation of InP Gunn devices could be obtained over much of the D-Band (110 GHz-170 GHz). Based on these results, second-harmonic power generation could provide the needed local oscillators up to the highest frequency in the millimeter-wave region. This paper reports rigorous computer simulations that estimate the performance of second-harmonic InP Gunn oscillators at frequencies above 200 GHz. The simulation model, based on the ensemble Monte-Carlo technique, has been developed and validated experimentally. It accounts for heat dissipation and incorporates device-circuit interaction through the harmonic-balance technique. Results based on this model predict output power levels of 28 mW at 200 GHz and 7 mW at 310 GHz.