A low-noise, high-linearity balanced amplifier in enhancement-mode GaAs pHEMT technology for wireless base-stations

This paper describes the design and realization of a balanced low-noise amplifier (LNA) module in the 2 GHz band suitable for wireless infrastructure (base-station) receiver front-end applications. The design effort entails both aspects of MMIC and module/packaging design to realize a fully-matched solution in a miniature 5 mm/spl times/6 mm footprint. The MMIC design leverages Agilent Technologies' proprietary 0.5 micron enhancement-mode pseudomorphic high-electron-mobility transistor (e-pHEMT) technology for best-in-class noise performance and linearity. In a balanced amplifier application with external 3-dB hybrids, this design exhibits a very low noise figure (NF) of 0.9 dB, coupled with a high OIP3 (output third order intercept point) of 46 dB m at 31 dB gain. It is also capable of delivering a P-1 dB of 31 dBm at 2.0 GHz with a 5.0 V supply.