A 28-GHz SiGe BiCMOS PA With 32% Efficiency and 23-dBm Output Power

In this paper, we present a two-stage, four-way combined power amplifier (PA) operating in the 27–31-GHz frequency range in 180-nm SiGe BiCMOS technology. The output network of the PA employs spiral transformers and a microstrip T-combiner to realize low-loss two-way series, two-way parallel power combining. With the help of a lumped-element transformer model, we present a co-optimization technique for the transformer and the adjoining matching components to minimize the power loss of the full output network. The design methodology is applicable for realizing an arbitrary impedance at the device plane with a K-way series, M-way parallel combiner. The efficacy of this technique is demonstrated by the realization of a PA, which has 27.6-dB gain, 23.2-dBm, 1-dB compressed output power, 32.7% power-added efficiency (PAE) at 1-dB compression, and 15% PAE at 6-dB back off. Linearity measurements show less than 4° amplitude-modulation to phase-modulation distortion below 3-dB back off and less than −32-dBc intermodulation product at 6-dB back off.

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