CMOS Low Noise Amplifiers: Evolution, Design, and Performance

As wireless systems demand increasingly multiband operation, Low Noise Amplifiers (LNAs) must maintain high performance across wide frequency ranges while adapting to the constraints of advanced CMOS nodes. Technology scaling enables dense integration but makes the use of large inductors—once central to achieving input matching and gain—costly and area-prohibitive. This has driven a shift toward compact LNA architectures that minimize or eliminate inductors while balancing gain, linearity, and power efficiency. This article reviews the evolution of LNA design in deeply scaled CMOS technologies, focusing on key trade-offs and topologies optimized for multiband, high-integration RF front ends.