A GaN-on-SiC Millimeter-Wave Low Noise Amplifier Using Hybrid-Matching Technique for 5G n258 Applications

Abstract

This letter details the design and implementation of a millimeter-wave (mm-Wave) low noise amplifier (LNA) employing 150-nm gallium nitride on silicon carbide (GaN-on-SiC) high electron mobility transistor technology, specifically tailored for fifth-generation (5G) applications. The proposed GaN-based LNA integrates a hybrid matching topology alongside a co-design strategy, thereby optimizing the noise figure (NF) by minimizing interstage matching components. The fabricated LNA, spanning a total chip area of 2.3 × 1.4 mm², exhibits a linear gain in the range of 17.41–19.2 dB and maintains an NF within 2.32–3.06 dB. Additionally, commendable input/output return losses exceeding 7.5 dB are achieved across the 23–27.5 GHz, with the apparatus consuming approximately 150 mW.