X-band, high performance, SiGe-heterojunction bipolar transistors-low noise amplifier for phased array radar applications

Author

Dinc, Tolga ; Zihir, Samet ; Kalyoncu, I. ; Gurbuz, Yasar

Author_Institution

Fac. of Eng. & Natural Sci., Sabanci Univ., Istanbul, Turkey

Volume

6

Issue

7

fYear

2012

Firstpage

768

Lastpage

772

Abstract

This study presents an X-band low noise amplifier (LNA) implemented in 0.25 μm SiGe BiCMOS process aiming for phased array radar applications. The LNA is composed of two cascode stages using SiGe heterojunction bipolar transistors to achieve low noise figure, high gain and a better matching to 50 Ω at the input and output, simultaneously. The first stage is designed for low noise performance whereas the second stage is optimised to improve the input third-order intercept point (IIP3). The LNA resulted in a measured gain of 21 dB, a noise figure of 1.52 dB and an IIP3 of -8 dBm at 10 GHz. The active chip area without pads is 620 × 820 μm² and the power dissipation is 22 mW from a 2.2 V power supply. These performance parameters collectively constitute the best figure-of-merit value of 101, reported in similar technologies.

Keywords

BiCMOS integrated circuits; Ge-Si alloys; MMIC amplifiers; heterojunction bipolar transistors; low noise amplifiers; microwave bipolar transistors; phased array radar; semiconductor materials; BiCMOS process; LNA; SiGe; X-band high performance heterojunction bipolar transistors; X-band low noise amplifier; figure-of-merit; frequency 10 GHz; gain 21 dB; input third-order intercept point; low noise figure; noise figure 1.52 dB; phased array radar; power 22 mW; power dissipation; resistance 50 ohm; size 0.25 mum; voltage 2.2 V;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Microwaves, Antennas & Propagation, IET

Publisher

iet

ISSN

1751-8725

Type

jour

DOI

10.1049/iet-map.2011.0384

Filename

6230800