A 18 - 40GHz Monolithic GaAs pHEMT low noise amplifier

• Published in: 2008 International Conference on Recent Advances in Microwave Theory and Applications pp. 309 - 311
• Main Authors: Padmaja, T., N'Gongo, R.S., Ratna, P., Vasu, P.S., Babu, J.S., Kirty, V.S.R.
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: IEEE 01-11-2008
• Subjects: Foundries; Gallium arsenide; Indium gallium arsenide; Low noise amplifier (LNA); Low-noise amplifiers; MMICs; Monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC); Noise figure (NF); Noise measurement; PHEMTs; Pseudomorphic High Electron Mobility Transistor (pHEMT); Radiofrequency amplifiers; Semiconductor device noise; Semiconductor optical amplifiers
• ISBN: 9781424426904; 1424426901
• DOI: 10.1109/AMTA.2008.4763047

This paper describes the design and measured performance of 18-40 GHz MMIC low noise amplifier developed for mm-wave point to point, SATCOM, LMDS, VSAT and EW applications. A two stage amplifier has been designed and developed on 4-mil thick InGaAs pHEMT with a mature gate length of 0.15 mum low noise process from the foundry, namely, WIN Semiconductor Corp., Taiwan. Two range couplers were incorporated at the RF input & output of the two stage amplifier. This balanced topology enhanced the electrical specifications like stability, return losses and the output power. Rigorous sensitivity checks and electromagnetic simulations were carried at the design stage to ensure proper design centering. The measured data shows better than 3.6 dB of noise figure with an associated gain of 11 plusmn 0.5 dB gain flatness. Excellent input/output return losses better than 15 dB and 1 dB compression more than 6 dBm has been achieved over the entire frequency band of 18-40 GHz. The chip features a size of 2.4 mm times 2.1 mm.