Title :
A 45-dB variable-gain low-noise MMIC amplifier
Author :
Masud, M. Anowar ; Zirath, Herbert ; Kelly, Matthew
Author_Institution :
Dept. of Microtechnology & Nanoscience, Chalmers Univ. of Technol., Goteborg
fDate :
6/1/2006 12:00:00 AM
Abstract :
A variable-gain amplifier (VGA) operating at 2.5 GHz based on single-ended topology has been designed and characterized. Three such stages were cascaded and preceded by a single-stage low-noise amplifier. A source follower was used at the output in order to achieve excellent output match. The variation gain is 45 dB with a maximum gain of 47 dB. The -3-dB bandwidth is 0.8 GHz. Minimum noise figure of 0.81 dB is obtained in the highest gain mode. The highest output power, corresponding to 1-dB compression point is -7.2 dBm and the corresponding output third-order intercept point is +2 dBm. The circuit is implemented in a GaAs 0.15-mum pseudomorphic high electron-mobility transistor technology. The combined area occupied by the multistage low-noise VGA and the single-ended VGA is 3.5 mm times 3 mm
Keywords :
HEMT integrated circuits; III-V semiconductors; MMIC amplifiers; UHF amplifiers; UHF integrated circuits; gallium arsenide; low noise amplifiers; 0.15 micron; 0.8 GHz; 2.5 GHz; 3 mm; 3.5 mm; 45 dB; 47 dB; GaAs; MMIC amplifier; low-noise amplifier; pseudomorphic high electron-mobility transistor technology; single-ended topology; source follower; variable-gain amplifier; Bandwidth; Circuits; Gain; Impedance matching; Low-noise amplifiers; MMICs; Noise figure; Power amplifiers; Power generation; Topology; Input third-order intercept point (IIP3); low-noise amplifier (LNA); noise figure (NF); output third-order intercept point (OIP3); power compression; pseudomorphic high electron-mobility transistor (pHEMT); scattering parameters; variable-gain amplifier (VGA);
Journal_Title :
Microwave Theory and Techniques, IEEE Transactions on
DOI :
10.1109/TMTT.2006.875453
