An X/Ku Dual-Band Switch-Free Reconfigurable GaAs LNA MMIC Based on Coupled Line

Chunshuang Xie,Zhongjun Yu,Cheng Tan

doi:10.1109/access.2020.3020396

Abstract

This article presents an X/Ku dual-band switch-free reconfigurable GaAs low-noise amplifier (LNA) realized by inter-stage and output-stage coupled lines. This article is the first switch-free reconfigurable LNA design in the coupled lines structure. After amplified by the broadband drive stage, the input signal is divided into two parallel single-band stages (consists of a high-band stage and a low-band stage) by the proposed inter-stage coupled line. Two split-band signals are combined by the proposed output-stage coupled line into the output port after amplified by the single-band stages. The proposed coupled lines are also included in LNA matching networks. Dual-band operation of the proposed reconfigurable LNA is achieved by turning off drain voltages of the unused single-band transistors. The reconfigurable LNA is designed in a 0.15-μm E-mode GaAs pHEMT process. The fabricated LNA features small-signal gains of 25-25.2/20.1-28 dB, noise figure (NF) of 1.28-1.41/1.23-1.51 dB, and output 1-dB compression point of 0.5-1.7/2.2-5 dBm over 8-10/12-20 GHz, while consuming 76/91 mA of dc current, with a size of 2.0 × 1.8 mm 2 .

Highlights

As one of the most critical active components, low noise amplifiers (LNAs) are highly demanded in modern active phased array systems such as multi-standard and multi-band transceivers [1]
MEASUREMENT RESULTS The proposed LNA is fabricated in WIN Semiconductor 0.15-μm E-mode gallium arsenide (GaAs) pHEMT process
The LNA is measured by on-wafer probing at RF pads, and the dc biases of the LNA are connected to an external circuit via 25-μm diameter gold bond wires

Summary

INTRODUCTION

As one of the most critical active components, low noise amplifiers (LNAs) are highly demanded in modern active phased array systems such as multi-standard and multi-band transceivers [1]. A receiver system with wideband LNAs may degrade significantly because the wideband LNAs amplify the desired signals as well as unwanted signals simultaneously Another approach to developing wideband receiver systems with good interference rejection is using reconfigurable LNAs. Many multi-band amplifiers configurations have been presented in the literature [16]–[22]. In [16], a 1.9-2.4 GHz reconfigurable LNA with a continuous tunable input matching network is proposed by utilizing tunable inductors. [17] reports a 2.4-5.4 GHz reconfigurable LNA with a broadband input stage and a band-selective stage using a multi-tap switching inductor and varactors. A reconfigurable multimode LNA employing a switched multi-tap transformer in the input matching network has been proposed in [18].

THEORETICAL ANALYSIS OF THE PROPOSED

MEASUREMENT RESULTS

CONCLUSION