W. Simburger

A monolithic transformer coupled 5-W silicon power amplifier with 59% PAE at 0.9 GHz

This paper presents the circuit design and application of a monolithically integrated silicon radio-frequency power amplifier for 0.8-1 GHz. The chip is fabricated in a 25-GHz-f/sub T/ silicon bipolar production technology (Siemens B6HF). A maximum output power of 5 W and maximum efficiency of 59% is achieved. The chip is operating from 2.5 to 4.5 V. The linear gain is 36 dB. The balanced two-stage circuit design is based fundamentally on three on-chip transformers. The driver stage and the output stage are connected in common-emitter configuration. The input signal can be applied balanced or single-ended if one input terminal is grounded. One transformer at the input acts as balun as well as input matching network. Two transformers acts as interstage matching network.

Lumped and distributed lattice-type LC-baluns

This paper presents two balun circuits derived from the lumped Lattice-type LC-balun. First the lumped LC-balun bridge elements are substituted by microstrip lines. This results in an improved performance at the 2nd and 3rd harmonic frequency for RF power amplifier output baluns. Secondly, the lumped Lattice-type LC-balun is extended to a dual band balun. Independent impedance transformation and balun conversion can be done at two different frequencies. The design equations are derived.

A low-noise, and high-gain double-balanced mixer for 77 GHz automotive radar front-ends in SiGe bipolar technology

An active down-conversion mixer for automotive radar applications at 76 GHz to 81 GHz was realized in a 200 GHz f/sub T/ SiGe bipolar technology. A conversion gain of more than 24 dB and a single-sideband noise figure of less than 14 dB is achieved. The 1 dB output compression point is -4 dBm. The power consumption is 300 mW at -5 V supply voltage.

A high sensitivity static 2:1 frequency divider up to 19 GHz in 120 nm CMOS

A completely integrated 19 GHz static 2:1 frequency divider in 120 nm CMOS is presented. The divider operates up to 19 GHz and features an enhanced input sensitivity of 0 dBm over a broad input band of 15 GHz. The circuit draws 44 mA from a single 1.5 V supply. To drive 50 /spl Omega/ loads up to 9.5 GHz, an output buffer is also included in the divider circuit.

Modeling of monolithic lumped planar transformers up to 20 GHz

A new method for characterization of monolithic lumped planar transformers is proposed in this paper. A lumped low-order equivalent model is derived from the physical layout using a new expression for the substrate loss. Two transformers are considered in detail, showing excellent agreement between simulation and measurement.

An 84 GHz Bandwidth and 20 dB Gain Broadband Amplifier in SiGe Bipolar Technology

This paper reports on the design, fabrication, and characterization of a lumped broadband amplifier in SiGe bipolar technology. The measured differential gain is 20 dB with a 3-dB bandwidth of more than 84 GHz, which is the highest bandwidth reported so far for broadband SiGe bipolar amplifiers. The resulting gain bandwidth product (GBW) is more than 840 GHz. The amplifier consumes a power of 990 mW at a supply of -5.5 V.

A fully integrated 5.3-GHz 2.4-V 0.3-W SiGe bipolar power amplifier with 50-/spl Omega/ output

A radio frequency power amplifier for 4.8-5.7 GHz has been realized in a 0.35-/spl mu/m SiGe bipolar technology. The balanced two-stage push-pull power amplifier uses two on-chip transformers as input-balun and for interstage matching. Further, it uses three coils for the integrated LC-output balun and the RF choke. Thus, the power amplifier does not require any external components. At 1.0-V, 1.5-V, and 2.4-V supply voltages, output powers of 17.7 dBm, 21.6 dBm, and 25 dBm are achieved at 5.3 GHz. The respective power-added efficiencies (PAE) are 15%, 22%, and 24%. The small-signal gain is 26 dB. The output 1-dB compression point at 2.4 V is 22 dBm with a PAE of 14%.

A monolithic 2.5 V, 1 W silicon bipolar power amplifier with 55% PAE at 1.9 GHz

A monolithic RF power amplifier for 1.8-2 GHz has been realized in a 50 GHz-f/sub T/ Si bipolar technology and is operating down to supply voltages as low as 1.2 V. The balanced 2-stage power amplifier uses two on-chip transformers as input-balun and for interstage matching, with a high coupling coefficient of k=0.84. At 1.2 V, 2.5 V, and 3 V supply voltage an output power of 0.22 W, 1 W and 1.4 W is achieved, at a power added efficiency of 47%, 55% and 55%, respectively at 1.9 GHz. The small-signal gain is 28 dB.

A low-power low-voltage NMOS bulk-mixer with 20 GHz bandwidth in 90 nm CMOS

A fully differential low-voltage mixer topology is presented. The problem of stacking input-, cascode- and switching-transistors within 1.2 V supply voltage is solved by the use of a bulk driven mixer core. In order to demonstrate the feasibility a test chip was manufactured in INFINEON triple well 90 nm standard CMOS process. The differential mixer includes an on-chip resistive 50 /spl Omega/ termination and an operational amplifier for measurements. The chip features a gain of 3.2 dB, a DSB noise figure of 17.4 dB, an input IP3 of -2.1 dBm, an input 1dB compression point of -13.3 dBm and consumes 1.8 mW at a power supply voltage of 1.2 V. The mixer has a 3 dB low-pass bandwidth of 20 GHz.

110-GHz static frequency divider in SiGe bipolar technology

We present a static frequency divider designed in a 225 GHz fT SiGe bipolar technology. The divider has a divide ratio of four and it is operational from 200 MHz up to 110 GHz (limited by the measurement equipment). At a -5.2 V power supply, the circuit, including the two dividers and the input and output stages, consumes less than 260 mA. Index Terms SiGe, Static Frequency Divider