MEMS varactor enabled frequency-reconfigurable LNA and PA in the upper UHF band

A low-power frequency-reconfigurable narrowband LNA and PA have been designed using tunable RF-MEMS passives in a 0.35 µm BiCMOS process. The LNA's operating frequency varies from 2.7 GHz to 3.1 GHz and the PA's operating frequency varies from 2.7 GHz to 3.2 GHz (using the current 2.5:1 varactor tuning range; next generation varactors have 6.9:1 tuning range). With only 2.5 mW of power the LNA attains (S21, NF) of (7.7 dB, 4.2 dB) at 2.7 GHz and (10.2 dB, 4.8 dB) at 3.1 GHz. The PA delivers 10.1–13.7 dBm of power and has a PAE of 7.5–17% depending on the frequency.

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