Title :
A 135–170 GHz power amplifier in an advanced sige HBT technology
Author :
Sarmah, Neelanjan ; Heinemann, B. ; Pfeiffer, Ullrich R.
Author_Institution :
Bergische Univ. Wuppertal, Wuppertal, Germany
Abstract :
Summary form only given. High-power, broadband power amplifiers (PA) operating in the D-band (110-170 GHz) are essential towards implementation of broadband frequency multiplier chains at sub-mmWave frequencies. In this paper we present the design of a 3-stage power amplifier (PA) with 3-dB bandwidth of 35 GHz (135-170 GHz) and implemented in 130 nm SiGe BiCMOS technology. A staggered tuning approach where the peak gain of the individual or group of individual stages are tuned at offset frequencies is used for broadband operation. In the 135-170 GHz, the small signal gain for the PA is 14-17 dB and the saturated output power (Psat) varies from 5-8 dBm and the output referred 1 dB compression point (P1dB) varies from 1-6 dBm over this frequency range. The nominal dc power consumption of this PA is 320 mW with peak PAE of 1.6%. To our best knowledge, this is the highest bandwidth reported for silicon PAs in the D band.
Keywords :
BiCMOS analogue integrated circuits; Ge-Si alloys; circuit tuning; frequency multipliers; heterojunction bipolar transistors; power amplifiers; submillimetre wave amplifiers; wideband amplifiers; 3-stage power amplifier design; BiCMOS technology; D-band; HBT technology; SiGe; bandwidth 110 GHz to 170 GHz; broadband frequency multiplier chains; broadband operation; compression point; dc power consumption; high-power broadband power amplifier; offset frequencies; peak PAE; peak gain; power 320 mW; saturated output power; signal gain; size 130 nm; staggered tuning approach; sub-mmwave frequencies; Bandwidth; Broadband communication; Gain; Heterojunction bipolar transistors; Power generation; Silicon; Silicon germanium; 110–170 GHz; D-band; MMICs; Millimeter-wave integrated circuits; Power amplifiers; SiGe HBT; imaging; transmitter components;
Conference_Titel :
Radio Frequency Integrated Circuits Symposium (RFIC), 2013 IEEE
Conference_Location :
Seattle, WA
Print_ISBN :
978-1-4673-6059-3
DOI :
10.1109/RFIC.2013.6569584
