50-to-67GHz ESD-protected power amplifiers in digital 45nm LP CMOS

In this paper, the first mm-wave PAs in 45 nm LP CMOS with state-of-the-art values for output power and with adequate ESD protection a demonstrated. The first of the two PAs to be described consists of two common-source (CS) stages, together with matching networks at the input, output and between the stages. The second PA uses the same interstage matching network and is constructed in a push-pull (PP) configuration. To achieve a differential push-pull operation, a novel center-tapped transformer is used. Moreover, the transformer also provides the output matching of the push-pull PA. Both circuits are fully ESD protected in the RF path and in the bias network. Operated at 1.1V, these amplifiers provide a wideband 1dB compression point (P1dB) and saturated (Psat) output power within the 50-to-67 GHz band. Moreover, the push-pull PA is the first reported to achieve a P1dB compression point of+11 dBm in digital CMOS.