Edward John Wemyss Whittaker

Front-end modules with versatile dynamic EVM correction for 802.11 applications in the 2GHz band

A SiGe BiCMOS, CMOS/SOI front-end module (FEM) for WLAN applications in the 2GHz band is presented. In the transmit mode it delivers 29dB small-signal gain and 3% EVM at 19.3dBm. In the receive mode, it achieves a noise figure of 1.85dB, 14dB gain, and an IIP3 level of 3dBm with 9mA current consumption. The FEM employs bias control circuitry that can be configured to address the linearity requirements of the WLAN standards family under varying environmental and channel conditions, including the emerging 802.11ac standard.

A fully integrated flip-chip SiGe BiCMOS power amplifier for 802.11ac applications

A fully integrated flip-chip SiGe BiCMOS power amplifier for wireless local area network (WLAN) applications in the 2 GHz band is presented. In a front-end module (FEM) configuration and under 802.11ac signal excitation, the PA delivers 29 dB small-signal gain and -30.4 dB dynamic error vector magnitude (EVM) at 20.6 dBm, at nominal operating conditions (3.3 V, 25 °C). The PA tightly controls detector voltage and corrects the dynamic EVM over supply voltage, temperature, orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) burst length and duty cycle variations.