Design of 24 GHz SiGe HBT balanced power amplifier for system-on-a-chip ultra-wideband applications

The design of a balanced, three-stage, common-emitter, 24 GHz SiGe HBT power amplifier for ultra-wideband applications is described. The unique features of the amplifier are very flat gain response in the frequency band of interest and sharp gain drop outside of the band, which are important considerations for a system-on-a-chip UWB application. The amplifier has 18 dB nominal gain in the frequency band of 24/spl plusmn/2 GHz. The gain variation is /spl plusmn/0.5 dB in the same frequency band. Saturated output power is 12 dBm at 24 GHz.