A 40-G samples/sec track & hold amplifier in 0.18/spl mu/m SiGe BiCMOS technology

This paper presents a 40-G samples/sec track & hold amplifier (THA). The chip is manufactured in 0.18/spl mu/m SiGe BiCMOS and operates from a 3.6-V supply. The total power consumption is 540mW with a chip area of 1.1mm/sup 2/. Time domain measurements illustrate 40-GHz sampling with 5, 8 and 10 GHz sinusoidal input signals. S-parameter measurements show a 3-dB bandwidth of 43 GHz in track mode. The P1dB and IIP3 are -10.5 dB and 2.5 dB, respectively, at 12 GHz. The measured THD for a 19 GHz input signal is -27 dB at the input compression point and the SFDR is -30 dB for a 19 GHz input signal. When accounting for the 10 dB noise figure, the resolution of the THA is estimated to exceed 4 bits for signals with 40 Gb/s data rates.