NH IEEE In-Person Meeting: “A Survey of Microwave and Millimeter-Wave Low Noise Amplification Based on FETs and HEMTs” by Dr. Phillip M. Smith

Come hear IEEE 2023 MTT-S Speakers Bureau Lecturer Dr. Phillip M. Smith’s presentation on the remarkable progress made over the past several decades in the evolution of transistors (specifically FETs and HEMTs) for low-noise amplifier applications, at frequencies from 1 GHz to 1 THz, ubiquitously needed in areas that include communications, radar, signal detection, remote sensing, radio astronomy, and quantum computing. Devices employing material systems based on the semiconductors GaAs, InP, GaN and Si will be described, where content will include structures, physical/electrical characteristics and performance benchmarks. Various aspects of low noise amplifiers (LNAs) will also be discussed, including circuit design considerations, producibility, reliability, cryogenic operation, dynamic range, robustness and power consumption. Future trends will be forecast. This presentation will help you appreciate the work undertaken to make remarkably reliable LNAs possible for some of the most critical applications in the world, like in the acquisition of telemetry data in the once-in-a-lifetime event of the Voyager 2 spacecraft’s encounter with Neptune in 1989, where HEMT-based amps in the National Radio Astronomy Observatory’s Very Large Array (VLA) in Socorro, NM were essential to the mission’s success. This presentation will be very interesting to MTT-S members for its technical content, and to all in the IEEE for its historic survey. Dr. Smith has almost 40 years of microwave electronics experience in industry, for defense and space applications, from hands-on lab work to R&D leadership. He is an IEEE Life Fellow and has authored over 180 papers. Everyone is welcome, from practitioner to retiree, and student. IEEE events are open to all; you do not have to be a member to attend. Parking at the Nashua Public Library’s parking lot is paid by the hour, via parking meters; see the lot’s $/hr rates and location along the southern bank of the Nashua River at https://www.nashuanh.gov/DocumentCenter/View/6306/Downtown-Parking-Brochure-PDF?bidId=. Speaker(s): Dr. Phillip M. Smith, Agenda: 6:00 PM to 6:15 PM Meet and greet 6:15 PM to 7:15 PM Presentation 7:15 PM Optional dinner with speaker at a nearby restaurant Room: Theater Room, Nashua Public Library, 2 Court St., Nashua, New Hampshire, United States, 03060