The **AMMC** (Avago Microwave Monolithic Circuit) series, currently manufactured by Broadcom (formerly Avago/Agilent), consists of high-performance GaAs (Gallium Arsenide) MMICs designed for microwave and millimeter-wave applications. These parts are typically sold as **bare dies** rather than packaged chips to minimize parasitic inductance at high frequencies. --- ### 1. Categories of AMMC Parts The AMMC product line covers the essential building blocks of an RF front-end: | Category | Typical Part Numbers | Frequency Range | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | **Power Amplifiers (PA)** | AMMC-6020, AMMC-6025 | 6 GHz to 40+ GHz | | **Low Noise Amplifiers (LNA)** | AMMC-5040, AMMC-6408 | 20 GHz to 50 GHz | | **Variable Attenuators** | AMMC-6640, AMMC-6650 | DC to 50 GHz | | **Frequency Multipliers** | AMMC-6120, AMMC-6140 | 10 GHz to 40 GHz | | **Mixers** | AMMC-6530, AMMC-6545 | 18 GHz to 45 GHz | --- ### 2. Key Technical Characteristics #### A. Material Technology * **GaAs pHEMT:** Most AMMC parts utilize Pseudomorphic High Electron Mobility Transistor (pHEMT) technology, which provides excellent gain and low noise figures at frequencies exceeding 20 GHz. * **Gold Metallization:** Since these are bare dies, the bond pads are typically plated with gold to facilitate **thermosonic wire bonding** (Gold-to-Gold). #### B. Physical Form Factor (Die) Unlike standard surface-mount components, AMMC parts require specialized handling: * **Backside Grounding:** The bottom of the die is usually gold-plated and serves as the RF/DC ground. It must be attached using conductive epoxy or gold-tin (AuSn) solder. * **Wire Bonding:** Connection to the circuit board (usually alumina or high-frequency laminates like Rogers) is done via thin gold wires (0.7 to 1.0 mil diameter). --- ### 3. Application Areas AMMC components are found in high-reliability and high-bandwidth infrastructure: 1. **Point-to-Point Radio:** Used in backhaul microwave links for cellular towers. 2. **VSAT & Satellite:** Ground stations and satellite communication terminals (Ka-band, Ku-band). 3. **Fiber Optics:** Driver amplifiers for Mach-Zehnder modulators in high-speed optical networking. 4. **Military/Radar:** Electronic warfare and phased array radar systems. --- ### 4. Integration Example: AMMC-6408 (LNA) ```python # Technical Specifications Example Part_Number = "AMMC-6408" Type = "Low Noise Amplifier" Frequency_Range = "6 GHz - 18 GHz" Gain = "20 dB" Noise_Figure = "1.8 dB" Vdd = "3.0 V" ``` --- ### 5. Handling and Storage Precautions * **ESD Sensitivity:** GaAs parts are extremely sensitive to Electrostatic Discharge (Class 0). * **Moisture/Oxidation:** Since they are bare dies, they should be stored in a nitrogen-purged cabinet or vacuum-sealed Gel-Paks to prevent oxidation of the bond pads.