A Ku-Band Low Noise Amplifier Implemented in 0.15 µm Gallium Arsenide pHEMT Process

A compact, low-power consumption Ku-band low noise amplifier implemented in WIN Semiconductor's 0.15 µm Gallium Arsenide process is presented in this paper. The amplifier achieves a measured average noise figure of 1.4 dB, at a nominal bias, across a broadband between 11 to 19 GHz. The amplifier consists of two stages with source inductive feedback in the first stage to achieve noise and input match simultaneously. It operates at 3 V drain voltage and 0.6 V gate voltage. The measured small signal gain of the amplifier is approx. 20 dB at midband and the 3-dB bandwidth is between 10 to 20 GHz, at a nominal bias. The amplifier has a positive gain slope of 2 dB between 10 to 16 GHz. The measured saturated output power is greater than 12.5 dBm at a nominal bias, between 11 to 18 GHz, with a maximum of 13.5 dBm at 18 GHz. The output PldB of the amplifier is higher than 11 dBm across the band. The size of the amplifier is 0.73 mm
²
only.