A novel bipolar-MOSFET low-noise amplifier (BiFET LNA), circuit configuration, design methodology, and chip implementation

This paper proposes a new RF circuit configuration: the Bipolar cascoded with a mosFET (BiFET). Applying the BiFET for low-noise amplifiers (LNAs), we have developed a new BiFET-based design methodology. By using this methodology, a BiFET LNA has been designed based on Jazz Semiconductor Inc.´s SiGe90 BiCMOS process. The packaged chip tested on board has demonstrated a 16-dB power-gain 1.6-dB noise-figure -6.5-dBm input third intercept point while consuming only 3 mW (2.2 V × 1.4 mA) in the personal communication system (PCS) band. To our knowledge, this is the lowest current silicon-based LNA reported to date that maintains good PCS band performance.