A Compact 6–24-GHz Current-Reuse LNA With Bandwidth and Noise Enhancement
Xiaojie Zhang, Kuisong Wang, Yuepeng Yan, Xiaoxin Liang
Abstract
This letter presents a three-stage current-reuse (CR) low-noise amplifier (LNA) monolithic microwave-integrated circuit (MMIC) design for broadband applications. The proposed LNA employs virtual ground and resistive feedback to achieve bandwidth extension and low noise. With the proposed techniques, the LNA is fabricated using a 0.15- <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\mu \text{m}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> E-mode GaAs pseudomorphic high-electron-mobility transistor (pHEMT) process. The measurement results show a peak gain of 27.1 dB with a 3-dB bandwidth of 6–24 GHz and a dc power consumption of 130 mW. The noise figure (NF) of 0.71–1.9 dB, 9.2–12.6 dBm OP1dB, and 20–23.5 dBm OIP3 are achieved. The fabricated LNA, including the testing pads, has a chip size of <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$1.3\times0.8$ </tex-math></inline-formula> mm.