A switchable-core SiGe HBT low-noise amplifier for millimeter-wave radiometer applications

This work presents a switchable-core SiGe HBT low-noise amplifier topology that can greatly improve the performance of millimeter-wave Dicke radiometer front-ends. In the presented topology, instead of implementing a Dicke switch preceding the amplifier, a switchable core is proposed that enables Dicke radiometer operation without any insertion loss penalty and substantially improved isolation. A prototype amplifier is realized in a 90 nm SiGe BiCMOS technology. The measured results indicate the switchable amplifier core can provide Dicke radiometer functionality with minimum performance degradation.