MINIMIZATION of frequency drift with respect to temperature is a key e
lement in the design of microwave oscillators, By using highly-stable
invar material in conjunction with a proportionally-controlled DC heat
er module, a Gunn-diode-based oscillator design achieves a combination
of low frequency drift and low power variation at a Ka-band output fr
equency that can be tuned mechanically from 28.5 to 36.5 GHz.