A compact manufacturable 76-77-GHz radar module for commercial ACC applications

The design and measured results of a single-substrate transceiver module su itable for 76-77-GHz pulsed-Doppler radar applications are presented. Empha sis on ease of manufacture and cost reduction of commercial millimeter-wave systems is employed throughout as a design parameter. The importance of us ing predictive modeling techniques in understanding the robustness of the c ircuit design is stressed. Manufacturing techniques that conform to standar d high-volume assembly constraints have been used. The packaged transceiver module, including three waveguide ports and intermediate-frequency output, measures 20 mm x 22 mm x 8 mm. The circuit is implemented using discrete G aAs/AlGaAs pseudomorphic high electron mobility transistors (pHEMTs), GaAs Schottky diodes, and varactor diodes, as well as GaAs p-i-n and pHEMT monol ithic microwave integrated circuits mounted on a low-cost 127-mum-thick gla ss substrate, A novel microstrip-to-waveguide transition is described to tr ansform the planar microstrip signal into the waveguide launch. The module is integrated with a quasi-optical antenna. The measured performance of bot h the component parts and the complete radar transceiver module is describe d.