A 0.13µm CMOS power amplifier with ultra-wide instantaneous bandwidth for imaging applications

Abstract

The increased interest in Ultra-WideBand (UWB) impulse-based systems for high-resolution imaging applications [1] has created a demand for medium-power linear amplifiers capable of transmitting such signals (FCC limits peak EIRP to 18dBm for UWB signals with 3GHz bandwidth). An integrated CMOS power amplifier (PA) with the ability to transmit arbitrary instantaneous UWB waveforms has significant value in realizing a completely-integrated silicon UWB imaging transceiver. UWB radar and imaging systems that utilize waveforms occupying the FCC-allocated lower GHz frequency bands (960 to 3100MHz) are attractive for wireless search-and-rescue and see-through-the-wall sensing applications as well as within-the-wall imaging due to the lower electromagnetic attenuation of most materials at these frequencies. The main contribution of this paper is the realization of an integrated 0.13µm CMOS power amplifier that is suitable for signals with an ultra-wide instantaneous bandwidth. The UWB PA is compatible with previously-reported true-time-delay-based beam-forming systems for low-GHz high-resolution imaging applications [1].