Ultra-Wideband Ultra-Low-DC-Power High Gain Differential-Input Low Noise Amplifier MMIC Using InAs/AlSb HEMT

This paper reports an ultra-wideband ultra-low-DC power high gain MMIC low noise amplifier (LNA) with differential RF input using 0.1-mum gate length InAs/AlSb metamorphic HEMTs, fabricated and characterized on a GaAs substrate. For testing purpose and for generating a differential RF input, a 3-12 GHz wideband on-chip MMIC balun is connected to the differential input. Even with the loss of the balun included, the differential amplifier demonstrated 4 dB typical noise figure with associated gain of 22 dB from 3-12 GHz at a low DC dissipation of 23 mW. Additionally, a single-ended LNA, which the differential LNA is based on, is also fabricated for evaluation. The single-ended LNA demonstrated 1.5 dB typical noise figure with associated gain of 25 dB from 1-16 GHz at a low DC dissipation of 16 mW