A 23-31 GHz Robust Low-Noise Amplifier with 1.1 dB Noise Figure and 28 dBm Psat

Abstract

A 23-31 GHz Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuit (MMIC) low-noise Amplifier (LNA) based on AlGaN/GaN on Si technology from OMMIC is presented in this paper. Common-source topology with inductive source feedback is utilized for simultaneous noise and input match. Measurement results show that the LNA has a gain of more than 22 dB while achieving an average noise Figure (NF) of 1.1 dB over the designed band and the minimum value of 0.93 dB at 27 GHz. The three stage topology achieves high linearity, providing the 1-dB compression point output power (P}$_{1dB}$) of 23 dBm and a Saturated Output Power (Psat) of $\sim28$ dBm. The robustness of this LNA was tested with 1 Watt continuous-wave input power at 27 GHz. The LNA survived after stress without obvious degradation. Compared with the traditional GaAs LNA, the GaN LNA has competitive NF and much higher linearity.