A 77-100 GHz power amplifier using 0.1-<i>μ</i>m GaAs PHEMT technology

Abstract: A wideband MMIC power amplifier at W-band is reported in this letter. The four-stage MMIC, developed using 0.1 μm GaAs pseudomorphic HEMT (PHEMT) technology, demonstrated a flat small signal gain of 12.4±2 dB with a minimum saturated output power (Psat) of 14.2 dBm from 77 to 100 GHz. The typical Psat is better by 16.3 dBm with a flatness of 0.4 dB and the maximum power added efficiency is 6% between 77 and 92 GHz. This result shows that the amplifier delivers output power density of about 470 mW/mm with a total gate output periphery of 100 μm. As far as we know, it is nearly the best power density performance ever published from a single ended GaAs-based PHEMT MMIC at this frequency band.

Key words: W-band, GaAs PHEMT, MMIC, wideband, power amplifier

References:

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[2]	Herrick K J, Lardizabal S M, Marsh P F. 95 GHz metamorphic HEMT power amplifiers on GaAs[J]. IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium Digest, 2003, 1: 137.
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[4]	Tsai Z M, Lin K Y, Wang H. A 71-80 GHz medium power amplifier using 4-mil 0.15-μm GaAs-PHEMT technology[J]. AsiaPacific Microwave Conference Proceedings (APMC), 2011: 1130.
[5]	Yang X, Yang H, Zhang H Y. A monolithic 60 GHz balanced low noise amplifier[J]. J Semicond, 2015, 36(4): 045003. doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/36/4/045003
[6]	Mu L F, Zhang W D, He C D. Design and test of a capacitance detection circuit based on a transimpedance amplifier[J]. J Semicond, 2015, 36(7): 075007. doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/36/7/075007
[7]	Zhao H, Yao H F, Ding P. A full W-band low noise amplifier module for millimeter-wave applications[J]. J Semicond, 2015, 36(9): 095001. doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/36/9/095001
[8]	Jin J, Shi J, Ai B L. A highly linear power amplifier for WLAN[J]. J Semicond, 2016, 37(2): 025006. doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/37/2/025006
[9]	Leong Y C, Weinreb S. Full W-band MMIC medium power amplifier[J]. IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium Digest, 2000, 2: 951.
[10]	Abbasi M, Zirath H, Angelov I. Q-, V-, and W-band power amplifiers utilizing coupled lines for impedance matching[J]. IEEE MTTS International Microwave Symposium Digest, 2008: 863.
[11]	Siweris H J, Werthof A, Tischer H. A mixed Si and GaAs chip set for millimeter-wave automotive radar front-ends[J]. In Radio Frequency Integrated Circuits (RFIC) Symposium, Digest of Papers, 2000: 191.
[12]	Morgan M, Weinreb S. A W-band monolithic medium power amplifier[J]. IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium Digest, 2003, 1: 133.
[13]	Canales F D, Abbasi M. A 75-90 GHz high linearity MMIC power amplifier with integrated output power detector[J]. IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium Digest, 2013: 1.
[14]	Chang H Y, Wang H, Yu M. A 77-GHz MMIC power amplifier for automotive radar applications[J]. IEEE Microw Wireless Compon Lett, 2003, 13(4): 143. doi: 10.1109/LMWC.2003.811059
[15]	Lai K T, Wu K L, Hu R. 77 GHz power amplifier design using WIN 0.1μm GaAs pHEMT process[J]. General Assembly and Scientific Symposium (URSI GASS), 2014: 1.
[16]	Bessemoulin A, Rodriguez M, Tarazi J. Compact W-band PA MMICs in commercially available 0.1-μm GaAs PHEMT process[J]. IEEE Compound Semiconductor Integrated Circuit Symposium (CSICS), 2015: 1.

[1]	Huang P P, Huang T W, Wang H. A 94-GHz 0.35-W power amplifier module[J]. IEEE Trans Microw Theory Tech, 1997, 45(12): 2418. doi: 10.1109/22.643854
[2]	Herrick K J, Lardizabal S M, Marsh P F. 95 GHz metamorphic HEMT power amplifiers on GaAs[J]. IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium Digest, 2003, 1: 137.
[3]	Chiu H C, Ke B Y. High performance V-band GaAs power amplifier and low noise amplifier using low-loss transmission line technology[J]. International High Speed Intelligent Communication Forum (HSIC), 2012: 1.
[4]	Tsai Z M, Lin K Y, Wang H. A 71-80 GHz medium power amplifier using 4-mil 0.15-μm GaAs-PHEMT technology[J]. AsiaPacific Microwave Conference Proceedings (APMC), 2011: 1130.
[5]	Yang X, Yang H, Zhang H Y. A monolithic 60 GHz balanced low noise amplifier[J]. J Semicond, 2015, 36(4): 045003. doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/36/4/045003
[6]	Mu L F, Zhang W D, He C D. Design and test of a capacitance detection circuit based on a transimpedance amplifier[J]. J Semicond, 2015, 36(7): 075007. doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/36/7/075007
[7]	Zhao H, Yao H F, Ding P. A full W-band low noise amplifier module for millimeter-wave applications[J]. J Semicond, 2015, 36(9): 095001. doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/36/9/095001
[8]	Jin J, Shi J, Ai B L. A highly linear power amplifier for WLAN[J]. J Semicond, 2016, 37(2): 025006. doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/37/2/025006
[9]	Leong Y C, Weinreb S. Full W-band MMIC medium power amplifier[J]. IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium Digest, 2000, 2: 951.
[10]	Abbasi M, Zirath H, Angelov I. Q-, V-, and W-band power amplifiers utilizing coupled lines for impedance matching[J]. IEEE MTTS International Microwave Symposium Digest, 2008: 863.
[11]	Siweris H J, Werthof A, Tischer H. A mixed Si and GaAs chip set for millimeter-wave automotive radar front-ends[J]. In Radio Frequency Integrated Circuits (RFIC) Symposium, Digest of Papers, 2000: 191.
[12]	Morgan M, Weinreb S. A W-band monolithic medium power amplifier[J]. IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium Digest, 2003, 1: 133.
[13]	Canales F D, Abbasi M. A 75-90 GHz high linearity MMIC power amplifier with integrated output power detector[J]. IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium Digest, 2013: 1.
[14]	Chang H Y, Wang H, Yu M. A 77-GHz MMIC power amplifier for automotive radar applications[J]. IEEE Microw Wireless Compon Lett, 2003, 13(4): 143. doi: 10.1109/LMWC.2003.811059
[15]	Lai K T, Wu K L, Hu R. 77 GHz power amplifier design using WIN 0.1μm GaAs pHEMT process[J]. General Assembly and Scientific Symposium (URSI GASS), 2014: 1.
[16]	Bessemoulin A, Rodriguez M, Tarazi J. Compact W-band PA MMICs in commercially available 0.1-μm GaAs PHEMT process[J]. IEEE Compound Semiconductor Integrated Circuit Symposium (CSICS), 2015: 1.

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Q Ge, W Liu, B Xu, F Qian, C F Yao. A 77-100 GHz power amplifier using 0.1-μm GaAs PHEMT technology[J]. J. Semicond., 2017, 38(3): 035001. doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/38/3/035001.

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