A Q-Band Self-Biased LNA in 0.1-μm GaAs pHEMT Technology

Abstract

This paper describes a wideband Q-band low noise amplifier (LNA) using the 0.1-μm gallium arsenide (GaAs) pseudomorphic high electron mobility transistor (pHEMT) technology. The LNA is implemented with a 4-stage self-biased common-source (CS) topology. A measured amplifier achieves a peak power gain of 28 dB, with a 3-dB bandwidth of 15 GHz centered at 43 GHz. The amplifier exhibits an output 1 dB gain compression point of 9.6 dBm. The on-wafer measured noise figure stays under 2.8 dB over the 3-dB bandwidth. An LNA module is designed and fabricated based on the chip. To the best of the authors' knowledge, the LNA exhibits one of the lowest noise figure among other reported wideband Q-band LNA using the same technology.