Deep Submicron CMOS for Millimeter Wave Power Applications

This letter gives an early assessment of deep submicron planar bulk CMOS devices for millimeter wave power amplifier (PA) applications. Using load pull measurements, a record high power density of 100 mW/mm and a transducer gain of 7 dB at 35 GHz were achieved for a 40 nm physical gate length CMOS device with a total gate width of 192 mum. Furthermore a peak PAE of 33% was reached. This shows that 40 nm gate length CMOS is feasible for medium PAs in the millimeter wave region.