Wideband variable peaking AGC amplifier for high-speed lightwave digital transmission

A variable peaking AGC amplifier with a new circuit configuration is proposed and monolithically integrated by using 1 ?m Si-bipolar technology. The amplifier exhibits characteristics of l.8 GHz bandwidth, 9 dB maximum gain and 15 dB gain dynamic range, and is 1.8 times superior to nonpeaking amplifiers.     

（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。     

Monolithic integrated amplifiers for 400 Mbit/s optical repeater

Introduction of monolithic integrated circuit technology to high bit rate optical repeater is studied. Monolithic integrated amplifiers are realised for a 400 Mbit/s optical repeater such as a preamplifier, AGC amplifier and postamplifier, using advanced silicon bipolar process technology. An equalising amplifier with four monolithic amplifiers got 66 dB maximum gain, 35 dB variable gain and 350 MHz band-width with 550 mW power consumption.     

A 20-Gb/s wideband AGC amplifier with 26-dB dynamic range in 0.18-μm SiGe BiCMOS

This paper presents a 20-Gb/s automatic gain control (AGC) amplifier in a 0.18-μm SiGe BiCMOS for high-speed applications. The proposed AGC amplifier compactly consists of a folded Gilbert variable-gain amplifier (VGA), a post amplifier (PA), a 50-Ω output buffer, and AGC loop including an open-loop peak detector (PD), a RC low-pass filter (LPF), and an error amplifier (EA). The AGC amplifier achieves the broadband characteristic by utilizing inductive peaking and capacitive degeneration as well as f_T-doubler techniques to overcome the large parasitic capacitances. The proposed AGC circuits together with a linear VGA exhibits a wide gain control range of 45 dB for the received signal strength indication (RSSI). The measured AGC amplifier achieves a maximum gain of 21 dB and a -3-dB bandwidth (BW) of 20.6 GHz, which can support up to 25.4-Gb/s data rate. For the pseudorandom bit sequence (PRBS) length 2³¹–1 with a bit-error rate (BER) of 10⁻¹² at 20 Gb/s, the measured input dynamic range is 26 dB (20–400mV_pp) and the peak-to-peak data jitter is less than 8 ps. The AGC amplifier consumes a power of 160 mW from a 3.3-V supply voltage and occupies an area of 850 μm × 850 μm.     

50-GHz-bandwidth baseband amplifiers using GaAs-based HBTs

Baseband amplifiers of 50 GHz, using high-performance AlGaAs/InGaAs HBTs with regrown base contacts, have been demonstrated. The transimpedance amplifier achieved a bandwidth of 50.8 GHz with a gain of 11.6 dB. The transimpedance characteristics were of 49.3-GHz bandwidth with a 43.7-dBΩ transimpedance gain. The resistive and mirror Darlington feedback amplifiers, respectively, achieved a bandwidth of 54.7 GHz with a gain of 8.2 dB and a bandwidth of more than 60.0 GHz with a gain of 6.3 dB. To date, these are the widest bandwidths reported for lumped-circuit-design amplifiers. These results suggest the great potential of these amplifiers for use in future optical communication, microwave and millimeter-wave applications     

Demonstration of 184 and 255-GHz Amplifiers Using InP HBT Technology

In this letter, 184 and 255 GHz single-stage heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) amplifiers are reported. Each amplifier uses a single-emitter 0.4 mum 15 mum InP HBT device with maximum frequency of oscillation (f_max) greater than 500 GHz and of 200 GHz. The 183 GHz single-stage amplifier has demonstrated gain of 4.3 plusmn 0.4 dB for all sites on the wafer. The 255 GHz amplifier has measured gain of 3.5d B and demonstrates the highest frequency measured HBT amplifier gain reported to date. Both amplifiers show excellent agreement with original simulation.     

Design of Si—bipolar Monolithic Main Amplifier IC for Optical Fiber Receivers

A broadband amplifer with transadmittance and transimpedance stages is designed and two types of improved AGC amplifiers are developed on the base of theory study.Making use of the basic amplifier cells.a main amplifier IC for optical-fiber receivers is deliberated.By computer simulating the performances of the designed main amplifier meet the necessity of high gain and wide dynamic range.They are maximum voltage gain of 42 dB,ths bandwidth of 730 MHz,the input signal(Vp-0)range from 5 mV to 1V,the output amplitude about 1V,the dynamic range of 46 dB.The designed circuit containing no inductance and large caacitance will be convenient for realizing integration.A monolithic integrated design of 622Mb/s main amplifier is completed.     

Design and performance of wideband GaAs MMIC's for high-speedoptical communication systems

Advanced design techniques for GaAs wideband direct-coupled amplifiers are described. The amplifier achieved a 20 dB gain with a 3 dB bandwidth of 13 GHz and a 5-7 dB noise figure. An equalizing amplifier module consisting of amplifier and variable attenuator monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs) exhibited a high gain of 43 dB over a 10 GHz band with a controllable gain of 20-43 dB     

100-GHz cooled amplifier residual PM and AM noise measurements, noise figure, and jitter calculations

We report the first definitive PM and AM noise measurements at 100 GHz of indium phosphide (InP) amplifiers operating at 5 K, 77 K, and room temperature. Amplifier gain ranged from +7 to +30 dB, depending on input RF power levels and operating bias current and gate voltages. The measurement system, calibration procedure, and amplifier configuration are described along with strategies for reducing the measurement system noise floor in order to accurately make these measurements. We compute amplifier noise figure with an ideal oscillator signal applied and, based on the PM noise measurements, obtain NF=0.8 dB, or a noise temperature of 59 K. Measurement uncertainty is estimated at /spl plusmn/0.3 dB. Results show that the use of the amplifier with an ideal 100-GHz reference oscillator would set a lower limit on rms clock jitter of 44.2 fs in a 20-ps sampling interval if the power into the amplifier were -31.6 dBm. For comparison, clock jitter is 16 fs with a commercial room-temperature amplifier operating in saturation with an input power of -6.4 dBm.     

110-120-GHz monolithic low-noise amplifiers

The authors discuss the development of 110-120-GHz monolithic low-noise amplifiers (LNAs) using 0.1-mm pseudomorphic AlGaAs/InGaAs/GaAs low-noise HEMT technology. Two 2-stage LNAs have been designed, fabricated, and tested. The first amplifier demonstrates a gain of 12 dB at 112 to 115 GHz with a noise figure of 6.3 dB when biased for high gain, and a noise figure of 5.5 dB is achieved with an associated gain of 10 dB at 113 GHz when biased for low-noise figure. The other amplifier has a measured small-signal gain of 19.6 dB at 110 GHz with a noise figure of 3.9 dB. A noise figure of 3.4 dB with 15.6-dB associated gain was obtained at 113 GHz. The authors state that the small-signal gain and noise figure performance for the second LNA are the best results ever achieved for a two-stage HEMT amplifier at this frequency band     

Bipolar monolithic amplifiers for a gigabit optical repeater

Main amplifier, AGC amplifier, and preamplifier ICs have been designed and fabricated using an advanced silicon bipolar process to provide the required characteristics of repeater circuits for a gigabit optical fiber transmission system. The bipolar technology used involved a separation width of 0.3 /spl mu/m between the emitter and the base electrode. New circuit techniques were also used. The differential type main amplifier has a peaking function which can be varied widely by means of DC voltage supplied at the outside IC terminal. A bandwidth which can be varied to about three times the value for a nonpeaking amplifier is easily obtained. The gain and maximum 3-dB down bandwidth were 4 dB and 4 GHz, respectively. The main feature of the AGC amplifier is that the diodes are connected to the emitters of the differential transistor pair to improve the linearity. The maximum gain and 3-dB down bandwidth were 15 dB and 1.4 GHz, respectively, and a dynamic range of 25 dB was obtained. The preamplifier has a shunt-series feedback configuration. Furthermore, a gain and 3-dB down bandwidth of 22 dB and 2 GHz, respectively, were achieved with an optimum circuit design. The noise figure obtained was 3.5 dB.     

GaAs Monolithic Low-Power Amplifiers with RC Parallel Feedback (Short Paper)

GaAs monolithic broad-band low-power-dissipated amplifiers with inductive/resistive load and RC parallel feedback circuits have been developed. An inductive load amplifier provides a gain of 8 dB, a 3-dB bandwidth of 2.5 GHz, and a noise figure of 2.7 dB at 1 GHz with less than + 1-V supply voltage and very low-power dissipation of 20 mW. A resistive load two-stage amplifier provides a gain of 15 dB and a 3-dB bandwidth of 2 GHz. Input and output reflection coefficients at 1 GHz are -13 dB and -21 dB, respectively.     

Wideband monolithic AGC amplifier for 400 Mbit/s optical repeaters using an advanced Si-bipolar IC technology, SICOS

A wideband AGC amplifier is monolithically integrated using an advanced Si-bipolar IC technology, SICOS. The fabricated IC exhibits an 8·4 dB maximum gain, 17 dB variable gain and 1·1 GHz bandwidth. It is shown that the SICOS technology is feasible for developing an equalising amplifier with a 37 dB gain and 700 MHz bandwidth for 400 Mbit/s optical repeaters.     

Millimeter-wave wide-band amplifiers using multilayer MMICtechnology

This paper describes millimeter-wave wide-band single-ended and balanced amplifiers using novel multilayer monolithic microwave/millimeter-wave integrated circuit (MMIC) technology. The fundamental characteristics of thin-film transmission lines and a 50-GHz-band multilayer MMIC directional coupler are described through measurements up to 60 GHz. A single-ended amplifier fabricated in a 1.1 mm×0.8 mm area, shows a gain of about 12 dB with a noise figure of better than 5 dB around 50 GHz. A balanced amplifier fabricated using the multilayer MMIC directional couplers and single-ended amplifiers, shows a gain of 10-17 dB with input and output return losses of better than 14 dB from 33 to 53 GHz. The transmission lines and directional couplers can be effectively combined with millimeter-wave active circuits without degrading the circuit performance or increasing the circuit area. To our knowledge, these are the first millimeter-wave active circuits employing multilayer MMIC technology     

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     

Gigahertz-band high-gain low-noise AGC amplifiers in fine-line NMOS

The design and test results of a single-chip NMOS automatic gain control (AGC) amplifier are described. The amplifier has a maximum flat gain of 50 dB, dynamic range of 70 dB, and a noise figure of 11 dB. The flat response from near DC to a 3-dB bandwidth of 1 GHz does not require tuning of any peaking circuits. The chip is also capable of operating at 3 GHz with unity gain delivering -8 dBm into a 50-/spl Omega/ load. The global feedback scheme designed for this chip stabilizes it against large shifts in threshold voltage and ambient temperature variation of 170/spl deg/C. This feedback scheme can provide stable DC feedback for a forward amplifier gain of at least 60 dB. Application of this application in the design of low-noise high-speed fibre-optic systems is envisaged.     

43 Gbit/s automatic gain control amplifier based on InP SHBT technology

A high bandwidth automatic-gain-control (AGC) amplifier has been designed and characterised. Fabricated in InP single-heterojunction-bipolar transistor (SHBT) technology, the measured bandwidth of the amplifier is 36 GHz with maximum small signal gain 22 dB. Capable of operating at 43 Gbit/s, this is believed to be the fastest AGC amplifier reported to date.     

Two-stage broadband high-gain W-band amplifier using 0.1-/spl mu/m metamorphic HEMT technology

We report broadband high-gain W-band monolithic microwave integrated circuit amplifiers based on 0.1-/spl mu/m InGaAs-InAlAs-GaAs metamorphic high electron mobility transistor (MHEMT) technology. The amplifiers show excellent S/sub 21/ gains greater than 10 dB in a very broad W-band frequency range of 75-100 GHz, thereby exhibiting a S/sub 21/ gain of 10.1 dB, a S/sub 11/ of -5.1 dB and a S/sub 22/ of -5.2 dB at 100 GHz, respectively. The high gain of the amplifier is mainly attributed to the performance of the MHEMTs exhibiting a maximum transconductance of 691 mS/mm, a current gain cutoff frequency of 189 GHz, and a maximum oscillation frequency of 334 GHz.     

20GHz宽带GaAs PHEMT分布式前置放大器

采用0.5μm GaAs PHEMT工艺研制了一种光接收机分布式前置放大器.该放大器-3dB带宽接近20GHz,跨阻增益约46dBΩ;在50MHz~16GHz范围内,输入、输出电压驻波比(VSWR)均小于2;带内噪声系数在3.03~6.5dB之间,平均等效输入噪声电流密度约为14.6pA/ Hz ;在输入10Gb/s非归零(NRZ)伪随机二进制序列(PRBS)信号下,放大器输出眼图清晰,具有12ps的定时抖动和166mV峰峰电压.     

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