A wideband low noise SiGe medium power amplifier for X-Band Phased Array applications

This paper presents a Medium Power Amplifier (MPA) for X-Band Phased Array RADAR applications in 0.25μm SiGe technology. The MPA is designed such that it achieves high output power and low noise simultaneously that enables its use in Transmitter/Receiver (T/R) core module as a Low Noise Amplifier (LNA). The MPA achieves 23.6dB peak gain and 17.3dB maximum output power at 10GHz with a power consumption of 190mW. Its input and output is matched in a 7 GHz of bandwidth, while its mean Noise Figure (NF) is about 3dB throughout the defined bandwidth. According to authors' knowledge, this work presents state-of-the-art wideband MPA performances in literature, with 7GHz of operational bandwidth and 17.3dBm output power.

[1]  W. Bakalski,et al.  A fully integrated 7-18 GHz power amplifier with on-chip output balun in 75 GHz-f/sub T/ SiGe-bipolar , 2003, 2003 Proceedings of the Bipolar/BiCMOS Circuits and Technology Meeting (IEEE Cat. No.03CH37440).

[2]  Eran Socher,et al.  0.5W X-band SiGe PA with integrated double-tuned transformers , 2013, 2013 IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium Digest (MTT).

[3]  F.E. van Vliet,et al.  Fully-integrated core chip for X-band phased array T/R modules , 2004, 2004 IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium Digest (IEEE Cat. No.04CH37535).

[4]  J.D. Cressler,et al.  A High-Gain, Two-Stage, X-Band SiGe Power Amplifier , 2007, 2007 IEEE/MTT-S International Microwave Symposium.

[5]  Chul Soon Park,et al.  SiGe MMIC power amplifier with on-chip lineariser for X-band applications , 2009 .

[6]  Marise Bafleur,et al.  Bipolar/BiCMOS circuits and technology meeting , 2003 .

[7]  A. de Boer,et al.  Fully-integrated core chip for X-band phased array T/R modules , 2004, IMS 2004.

[8]  Alvin J. Joseph,et al.  SIGE HBT PERFORMANCE AND IQLIABILITY TRENDS THROUGH fT OF 350GHZ , 2003 .

[9]  Y. Gurbuz,et al.  A high-dynamic range SiGe low-noise amplifier for X-band radar applications , 2012, 2012 7th European Microwave Integrated Circuit Conference.

[10]  W. Ciccognani,et al.  High-density mixed signal RF front-end electronics for T-R modules , 2012, 2012 IEEE First AESS European Conference on Satellite Telecommunications (ESTEL).

[11]  Alvin J. Joseph,et al.  SiGe HBT performance and reliability trends through f/sub T/ of 350 GHz , 2003, 2003 IEEE International Reliability Physics Symposium Proceedings, 2003. 41st Annual..

[12]  Brittin C. Kane,et al.  Smart Phased Array SoCs: A Novel Application for Advanced SiGe HBT BiCMOS Technology , 2005, Proceedings of the IEEE.

[13]  Yasar Gurbuz,et al.  X-band, high performance, SiGe-heterojunction bipolar transistors-low noise amplifier for phased array radar applications , 2012 .