Transformer-coupled cascode stage for mm-wave power amplifiers in sub-μm CMOS technology

An amplifier topology based on a transformer-coupled cascode stage is presented and compared with the most used solutions for sub-μm CMOS power amplifiers, which are the common-source stage, cascode stage, and capacitive-coupled cascode stage. The comparison was carried out by designing each amplifier in a 65-nm CMOS technology and for a 60-GHz operating frequency. The design was optimized for a trade off among power gain, saturated output power, and linearity. Operating from a 1.2-V supply voltage, the proposed amplifier improves both small-signal and large-signal performance with respect to the most common approaches, thus demonstrating effectiveness with sub-μm CMOS technologies and mm-wave operation.

[1]  B. Floyd,et al.  A silicon 60GHz receiver and transmitter chipset for broadband communications , 2006, 2006 IEEE International Solid State Circuits Conference - Digest of Technical Papers.

[2]  Egidio Ragonese,et al.  A lumped scalable model for silicon integrated spiral inductors , 2004, IEEE Transactions on Circuits and Systems I: Regular Papers.

[3]  K. Sharaf,et al.  An RF CMOS modified-cascode LNA with inductive source degeneration , 2002, Proceedings of the Nineteenth National Radio Science Conference.

[4]  T. Biondi,et al.  Analysis and modeling of layout scaling in silicon integrated stacked transformers , 2006, IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques.

[5]  B. Gaucher,et al.  A Silicon 60-GHz Receiver and Transmitter Chipset for Broadband Communications , 2006, IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits.

[6]  Steve C. Cripps,et al.  RF Power Amplifiers for Wireless Communications, Second Edition (Artech House Microwave Library (Hardcover)) , 2006 .

[7]  J.R. Long,et al.  Monolithic transformers for silicon RF IC design , 2000, IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits.

[8]  E. van der Heijden,et al.  A 60GHz Miller Effect Based VCO in 65nm CMOS with 10.5% Tuning Range , 2009, 2009 IEEE Topical Meeting on Silicon Monolithic Integrated Circuits in RF Systems.

[9]  S. C. Cripps,et al.  RF Power Amplifiers for Wireless Communications , 1999 .

[10]  Kenichi Maruhashi,et al.  TX and RX Front-Ends for 60GHz Band in 90nm Standard Bulk CMOS , 2008, 2008 IEEE International Solid-State Circuits Conference - Digest of Technical Papers.

[11]  Joy Laskar,et al.  60GHz single-chip CMOS digital radios and phased array solutions for gaming and connectivity , 2009, IEEE Journal on Selected Areas in Communications.

[12]  Werner Simburger,et al.  A monolithic transformer coupled 5-W silicon power amplifier with 59% PAE at 0.9 GHz , 1999 .

[13]  M. Rodwell,et al.  Millimeter-wave CMOS circuit design , 2005, IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques.

[14]  D. Ritter,et al.  An ultra low power LNA with 15dB gain and 4.4db NF in 90nm CMOS process for 60 GHz phase array radio , 2008, 2008 IEEE Radio Frequency Integrated Circuits Symposium.