High-gain, V-band, low-noise MMIC amplifiers usingpseudomorphic MODFETs

State-of-the-art, 60-GHz, low-noise MMICs based on pseudomorphic modulation-doped FETs, with 0.25-μm×60-μm gates offset 0.3 μm from the source ohmic, are discussed. Single-state low-noise amplifiers (LNAs) exhibited minimum noise figures of 2.90 dB with 4.1 dB of associated gain at 59.25 GHz. Dual-state MMICs had minimum noise figures of 3.5 dB and 10.8 dB of associated gain at 58.50 GHz. Cascaded four-stage LNAs (two dual-stage MMICs) had minimum noise figures of 3.7 dB and over 20.7 dB of associated gain at 58.0 GHz. Finally, when biased for maximum gain, the four-stage amplifier exhibited over 30.4 dB of gain at 60.0 GHz     

60-GHz noise performance of ion-implanted InxGa1-xAs MESFET's

The authors report the 60-GHz noise performance of low-noise ion-implanted In_xGa_1-xAs MESFETs with 0.25 μm T-shaped gates and amplifiers using these devices. The device noise figure was 2.8 dB with an associated gain of 5.6 dB at 60 GHz. A hybrid two-state amplifier using these ion-implanted In_xGa_1-x As MESFETs achieved a noise figure of 4.6 dB with an associated gain of 10.1 dB at 60 GHz. When this amplifier was biased at 100% I _dss, it achieved 11.5-dB gain at 60 GHz. These results, achieved using low-cost ion-implantation techniques, are the best reported noise figures for ion-implanted MESFETs     

Millimeter-wave low-noise and high-power metamorphic HEMTamplifiers and devices on GaAs substrates

This paper reports on state of-the-art HEMT devices and circuit results utilizing 32% and 60% indium content InGaAs channel metamorphic technology on GaAs substrates. The 60% In metamorphic HEMT (MHEMT) has achieved an excellent 0.61-dB minimum noise figure with 11.8 dB of associated gain at 26 GHz. Using this MHEMT technology, two and three-stage Ka-band low-noise amplifiers (LNAs) have demonstrated <1.4-dB noise figure with 16 dB of gain and <1.7 with 26 dB of gain, respectively. The 32% In MHEMT device has overcome the <3.5-V drain bias limitation of other MHEMT power devices, showing a power density of 650 mW/mm at 35 GHz, with V_ds=6 V     

High-performance in W-band monolithic pseudomorphic InGaAsHEMT LNA's and design/analysis methodology

High-performance W-band monolithic one- and two-stage low noise amplifiers (LNAs) based on pseudomorphic InGaAs-GaAs HEMT devices have been developed. The one-stage amplifier has a measured noise figure of 5.1 dB with an associated gain of 7 dB from 92 to 95 GHz, and the two-stage amplifier has a measured small signal gain of 13.3 dB at 94 GHz and 17 dB at 89 GHz with a noise figure of 5.5 dB from 91 to 95 GHz. An eight-stage LNA built by cascading four of these monolithic two-stage LNA chips demonstrates 49 dB gain and 6.5 dB noise figure at 94 GHz. A rigorous analysis procedure was incorporated in the design, including accurate active device modeling and full-wave EM analysis of passive structures. The first pass success of these LNA chip designs indicates the importance of a rigorous design/analysis methodology in millimeter-wave monolithic IC development     

Low-power W-band CPWG InAs/AlSb HEMT low-noise amplifier

We present the development of a low-power W-band low-noise amplifier (LNA) designed in a 200-nm InAs/AlSb high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) technology fabricated on a 50-/spl mu/m GaAs substrate. A single-stage coplanar waveguide with ground (CPWG) LNA is described. The LNA exhibits a noise figure of 2.5 dB and an associated gain of 5.6 dB at 90 GHz while consuming 2.0 mW of total dc power. This is, to the best of our knowledge, the lowest reported noise figure for an InAs/AlSb HEMT LNA at 90 GHz. Biased for maximum gain, the single-stage amplifier presents 6.7-dB gain and an output 1-dB gain compression point (P1dB) of -6.7dBm at 90 GHz. The amplifier provides broad-band gain, greater than 5dB over the entire W-band.     

A W-band image-rejection downconverter

The design, fabrication, and evaluation of a W-band image-rejection downconverter based on pseudomorphic InGaAs-GaAs HEMT technology are presented. The image-rejection downconverter consists of a monolithic three-stage low-noise amplifier, a monolithic image-rejection mixer, and a hybrid IF 90° coupler with an IF amplifier. The three-stage amplifier has a measured noise figure of 3.5 dB, with an associated small signal gain of 21 dB at 94 GHz while the image-rejection mixer has a measured conversion loss of 11 dB with +10 dBm LO drive at 94.15 GHz. Measured results of the complete image-rejection downconverter including the hybrid IF 90° coupler and a 10 dB gain amplifier show a conversion gain of more than 18 dB and a noise figure of 4.6 dB at 94.45 GHz     

A C-band high-dynamic range GaN HEMT low-noise amplifier

A C-band low-noise amplifier (LNA) is designed and fabricated using GAN HEMT power devices. The one-stage amplifier has a measured noise figure of 1.6 dB at 6 GHz, with an associated gain of 10.9 dB and IIP3 of 13 dBm. it also exhibits broadband operation from 4-8 GHz with noise figure less than 1.9 dB. The circuit can endure up to 31 dBm power from the input port. Compared to circuits based on other material and technology, the circuit shows comparable noise figure with improved dynamic range and survivability.     

Very high gain millimeter-wave InAlAs/InGaAs/GaAs metamorphicHEMT's

We report the first demonstration of W-band metamorphic HEMTs/LNA MMICs using an AlGaAsSb lattice strain relief buffer layer on a GaAs substrate. 0.1×50 μm low-noise devices have shown typical extrinsic transconductance of 850 mS/mm with high maximum drain current of 700 mA/mm and gate-drain breakdown voltage of 4.5 V. Small-signal S-parameter measurements performed on the 0.1-μm devices exhibited an excellent f_T of 225 GHz and maximum stable gain (MSG) of 12.9 dB at 60 GHz and 10.4 dB at 110 GHz. The three-stage W-band LNA MMIC exhibits 4.2 dB noise figure with 18 dB gain at 82 GHz and 4.8 dB noise figure with 14 dB gain at 89 GHz, The gain and noise performance of the metamorphic HEMT technology is very close to that of the InP-based HEMT     

A 24-GHz 3.9-dB NF low-noise amplifier using 0.18 /spl mu/m CMOS technology

A 24-GHz low-noise amplifier (LNA) was designed and fabricated in a standard 0.18-/spl mu/m CMOS technology. The LNA chip achieves a peak gain of 13.1 dB at 24 GHz and a minimum noise figure of 3.9 dB at 24.3 GHz. The supply voltage and supply current are 1 V and 14 mA, respectively. To the author's knowledge, this LNA demonstrates the lowest noise figure among the reported LNAs in standard CMOS processes above 20 GHz.     

（英）D波段InP基高增益、低噪声放大芯片的设计与实现

利用90-nm InAlAs/InGaAs/InP HEMT工艺设计实现了两款D波段（110~170 GHz）单片微波集成电路放大器。两款放大器均采用共源结构,布线选取微带线。基于器件A设计的三级放大器A在片测试结果表明：最大小信号增益为11.2 dB@140 GHz,3 dB带宽为16 GHz,芯片面积2.6×1.2 mm2。基于器件B设计的两级放大器B在片测试结果表明：最大小信号增益为15.8 dB@139 GHz,3dB带宽12 GHz,在130~150 GHz频带范围内增益大于10 dB,芯片面积1.7×0.8 mm2,带内最小噪声为4.4 dB、相关增益15 dB@141 GHz,平均噪声系数约为5.2 dB。放大器B具有高的单级增益、相对高的增益面积比以及较好的噪声系数。该放大器芯片的设计实现对于构建D波段接收前端具有借鉴意义。     

45 GHz active HEMT mixer

A low-noise 45 GHz mixer has been realised using a high electron mobility transistor (HEMT). This is the first reported active mixer above 30 GHz and the first reported HEMT mixer. The mixer exhibits 1.5 dB maximum gain at 4 dBm local oscillator (LO) power and 8.1 dB noise figure, including a 2.6 dB NF IF amplifier, at 2 dBm LO power.     

On-chip matched 5.2 and 5.8 GHz differential LNAs fabricated using0.35 μm CMOS technology

The authors have designed experimental 5.2 and 5.8 GHz low-noise amplifiers (LNAs) using 0.35 μm CMOS technology. The ICs feature on-chip matching to 50 Ω, differential operation, and open drain output buffers. A return loss of better than -15 dB was achieved for both amplifiers. LC parallel resonant loads were used to form the gain peak. The LNAs had a measured noise figure of 4 to 5 dB, at VSS=3.3 V     

K-band low-noise amplifiers using 0.18 /spl mu/m CMOS technology

Two K-Band low-noise amplifiers (LNAs) are designed and implemented in a standard 0.18 /spl mu/m CMOS technology. The 24 GHz LNA has demonstrated a 12.86 dB gain and a 5.6 dB noise figure (NF) at 23.5 GHz. The 26 GHz LNA achieves an 8.9 dB gain at the peak gain frequency of 25.7 GHz and a 6.93 dB NF at 25 GHz. The input referred third-order intercept point (IIP3) is >+2 dBm for both LNAs with a current consumption of 30 mA from a 1.8 V power supply. To our knowledge, the LNAs show the highest operation frequencies ever reported for LNAs in a standard CMOS process.     

A universal dual band LNA implementation in SiGe technology forwireless applications

A dual band low-noise amplifier (LNA) with matched inputs and outputs, implemented in Infineon Technologies' B7HF SiGe process, is presented. Both the single-ended inputs and outputs are matched to 50 Ω without external elements. For the low-band (800 MHz-1 GHz), the LNA has a measured gain of 17 dB and a noise figure below 1.2 dB at 900 MHz. The high-band (1.8-2 GHz) LNA achieves a gain of 15 dB and a noise figure below 1.5 dB at 1.9 GHz. Both LNAs consume 5 mA dc current with a power supply voltage range from 2.7-3.6 V     

Wideband HEMT balanced amplifier

The high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) has demonstrated great potential for high-gain and low-noise applications, achieving a noise figure and current gain cutoff frequency fT superior to that of the GaAs MESFET. The letter presents the practical use of an HEMT in a hybrid wideband balanced amplifier covering 8.5 to 16 GHz producing 9.7 ± 0.5 dB gain and 2.6 dB midband noise figure. The performance is also compared to a GaAs MESFET stage.     

A novel monolithic HBT-p-i-n-HEMT integrated circuit with HBTactive feedback and p-i-n diode variable gain control

We report the world's first functional MMIC circuit integrating HBT's, HEMT's, and vertical p-i-n diodes on a single III-V substrate. The 1-10 GHz variable gain amplifier monolithically integrates HEMT, HBT, and vertical p-i-n diode devices has been fabricated using selective MBE and a merged processing technology. The VGA offers low-noise figure, wideband gain performance, and good gain flatness over a wide gain control range. A noise figure below 4 dB was achieved using a HEMT transistor for the amplifier stage and a wide bandwidth of 10 GHz. A nominal gain of 10 dB was achieved by incorporating HBT active feedback techniques and 12 dB of gain control range was obtained using a vertical p-i-n diode as a varistor, all integrated into a compact 1.5×0.76 mm² MMIC. The capability of monolithically integrating HBT's, HEMT's, and p-i-n's in a merged process will stimulate the development of new monolithic circuit techniques for achieving optimal performance as well as provide a foundation for high performance mixed-mode multifunctional MMIC chips     

30-GHz Low-Noise Performance of 100-nm-Gate-Recessed n-GaN/AlGaN/GaN HEMTs

We demonstrate a 100-nm-gate-recessed n-GaN/AlGaN/GaN high-electron mobility transistor (HEMT) with low-noise properties at 30 GHz. The recessed GaN HEMT exhibits a low ohmic-contact resistance of 0.28 $Omega cdot hbox{mm}$ and a low gate leakage current of 0.9 $muhbox{A/mm}$ when biased at $V_{rm GS} = -hbox{3} hbox{V}$ and $V_{rm DS} = hbox{10} hbox{V}$. At the same bias point, a minimum noise figure of 1.6 dB at 30 GHz and an associated gain of 5 dB were achieved. To the best of our knowledge, this is the best noise performance reported at 30 GHz for gate-recessed AlGaN/GaN HEMTs.      

Wideband HEMT MMIC low-noise amplifier with temperaturecompensation

A wideband low-noise pseudomorphic HEMT MMIC variable-gain amplifier has been designed and fabricated. The amplifier has a nominal gain of 13 dB across the band 2-20 GHz, with gain flatness better than ±0.4 dB. The noise figure is less than 3 dB across the band 6-16 GHz. An on-chip temperature-sensing diode is used to provide a linear temperature correction which has been used to reduce the gain variation of the amplifier by a factor of 2 across the temperature range -50°C to +95°C     

Very low-noise HEMTs using a 0.2?m T-gate

A very low-noise, high-electron-mobility transistor has been fabricated using a 0.2 ?m T-shaped gate. At 12 GHz, a noise figure of 0.61 dB with an associated gain of 12.58dB has recently been measured. This is the lowest noise figure ever reported for an HEMT at this frequency     

Correlation of undoped, in-alloyed, and whole-ingot annealed semi-insulating GaAs substrates for low-noise microwave amplifiers

The quality of LEC grown GaAs substrates critically affects the final low-noise microwave device and circuit performance as evidenced by comparing Si-implanted undoped, In-alloyed, and whale-ingot annealed semi-insulating substrates. We investigated differences in Si implant activation, electrical profiles, and uniformity of material, device, and circuit parameters. The best noise figure of 1.33 dB at 10 GHz was measured on a 0.5-µm low-noise FET fabricated on a high-pressure whole-ingot annealed LEC wafer. A noise figure of 2.0 dB with associated gain of 24 dB at 10 GHz was achieved for a monolithic two-stage low-noise amplifier fabricated on the standard high-pressure LEC substrate.