A 60 GHz transformer-based variable-gain power amplifier in 90nm CMOS

Author

Brinkhoff, James ; Kang, Kai ; Pham, Duy-Dong ; Lin, Fujiang

Author_Institution

Inst. of Microelectron., A*STAR (Agency for Sci., Technol. & Res.), Singapore, Singapore

fYear

2009

fDate

Jan. 9 2009-Dec. 11 2009

Firstpage

60

Lastpage

63

Abstract

A power amplifier, suitable for short-range 60 GHz applications, is designed. The amplifier features two differential stages, using transformers for single-ended to differential conversion, impedance matching and inter-stage coupling. The amplifier makes use of unilateralization in order to improve stability and increase the ratio between minimum and maximum gain. The amplifier has variable gain from -3 dB to 10 dB, with a center frequency of 58.5 GHz and a bandwidth of 6.3 GHz. In the maximum gain state, the output -1dB compression point is +5.1 dBm, P_sat is +8.5 dBm and the peak PAE is 7.7 %, drawing 52 mA from a 1 V supply.

Keywords

CMOS integrated circuits; impedance matching; millimetre wave integrated circuits; power amplifiers; CMOS millimetre-wave integrated circuits; current 52 mA; differential conversion; frequency 58.5 GHz; frequency 60 GHz; impedance matching; inter-stage coupling; size 90 nm; transformer-based variable-gain power amplifier; unilateralization; voltage 1 V; CMOS technology; Circuit topology; Differential amplifiers; Energy consumption; FETs; Gain; Impedance matching; Power amplifiers; Power generation; Transformers; CMOS millimeter-wave integrated circuits; power amplifiers; transformers;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Radio-Frequency Integration Technology, 2009. RFIT 2009. IEEE International Symposium on

Conference_Location

Singapore

Print_ISBN

978-1-4244-5031-2

Electronic_ISBN

978-1-4244-5032-9

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/RFIT.2009.5383671

Filename

5383671