An ultra low noise W-band monolithic three-stage amplifier using 0.1- mu m pseudomorphic InGaAs/GaAs HEMT technology

An ultra-low-noise W-band monolithic three-stage amplifier based on 0.1- mu m pseudomorphic InGaAs/GaAs high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) devices has been developed. This amplifier has a measured noise figure of 3.5 dB with an associated small signal gain of 21 dB at 94 GHz. This is the best reported performance of a monolithic W-band high-gain low-noise amplifier (LNA), significantly improved compared with previous records in terms of noise figure and associated gain. Accurate modeling techniques were essential to the success of this monolithic circuit design, which included active device and full-wave electromagnetic analysis of passive matching structures. The measured results of the W-band three-stage monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) LNA from 91 to 97 GHz are presented.<
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