Two 24 GHz receiver front-ends in 130-nm CMOS using SOP technology

Two 24 GHz 130-nm CMOS receiver front-ends using System-on-Package (SOP) technology are demonstrated. CMOS dies featuring a two-stage LNA, a passive mixer, and output buffers are flip-chipped to a glass carrier featuring low loss baluns. One design uses glass baluns for both RF and LO input, whereas the other uses an active RF balun on-chip. The fully differential front-end measures; 20.7dB conversion gain, 7.8 dB NF, -23.3 dBm CP_1dB, -12.6 dBm IIP3, 16.3 dBm IIP2, and 44 dB LO to RF isolation. The single-ended input front-end measures; 14.7 dB conversion gain, 8.5 dB NF, -21.1 dBm CP_1dB, -10.4 dBm IIP3, 17.6 dBm IIP2, and 51 dB LO to RF isolation.