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High power density SiGe millimeter-wave power amplifiers

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 July 2011

Thomas J. Farmer ,
Ali Darwish ,
Benjamin Huebschman ,
Edward Viveiros  and
Mona E. Zaghloul
Thomas J. Farmer*
Affiliation:
The US Army Research Laboratory, 2800 Powder Mill Road, Adelphi, MD 20783, USA. Phone: +001 301 394 0487
Ali Darwish
Affiliation:
The American University in Cairo, AUC Avenue, New Cairo 11835, Egypt
Benjamin Huebschman
Affiliation:
The US Army Research Laboratory, 2800 Powder Mill Road, Adelphi, MD 20783, USA. Phone: +001 301 394 0487
Edward Viveiros
Affiliation:
The US Army Research Laboratory, 2800 Powder Mill Road, Adelphi, MD 20783, USA. Phone: +001 301 394 0487
Mona E. Zaghloul
Affiliation:
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, The George Washington University, 801 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC, 20052, USA
*
Corresponding author: T. J. Farmer Email: thomas.farmer2@us.army.mil
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Abstract

This paper presents measured results for two-stage and three-stage high-voltage/high-power (HiVP) amplifiers implemented in a commercial 0.12 μm silicon germanium (SiGe) heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) bipolar Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (BiCMOS) process at millimeter wave. The HiVP configuration provides a new tool for millimeter-wave silicon designers to achieve large output voltage swings, high output power density, customizable bias, and a way to minimize, if not eliminate, matching circuitry at millimeter-wave frequencies. The two-stage amplifier has achieved a PSAT = 5.41 dBm with a power added efficiency (PAE) of 8.06% at center frequency 30 GHz. The three-stage amplifier has achieved a PSAT = 8.85 dBm with a PAE of 11.35% with a total chip area of 0.068 mm2 at center frequency 30 GHz. Simulation, layout, fabrication, and measurement results are presented in this paper.

Keywords

Circuit design and applicationsMicrowave measurementsPower amplifiers and linearizersRadar applicationsSi-based devices and IC technologies
Type
Research Papers
Information
International Journal of Microwave and Wireless Technologies , Volume 3 , Issue 6 , December 2011 , pp. 615 - 620
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press and the European Microwave Association 2011. This is a work of the U.S. Government and is not subject to copyright protection in the United States

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References

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