A low quiescent current 3.3V operation linear MMIC power amplifier for 5 GHz WLAN applications

We report a 5 GHz linear InGaP/GaAs HBT monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) power amplifier for wireless LAN applications. The three-stage power amplifier operates with 103 mA - low quiescent current of Class AB mode using active bias circuit under a single supply of +3.3V A total current of 196(194) mA is consumed with an output power of 18 dBm and PAE (power-added efficiency) of 9.7% at 5.25(5.15) GHz. The power amplifier exhibits a power gain of 19.6 (17.8/18.5) dB, 1-dB compression point (P/sub 1/dB) of 26(25/25) dBm, and PAE of 27.8(25.4/20) % at 5.25(5.15/5.85) GHz. Measured third-order IMD(intermodulation distortion) is less than -25 dBc at 3 dB back-off and less than -30 dBc at 5 dB back-off from P/sub 1/dB for the frequency range between 5.15 and 5.85 GHz.