A mm-wave class-E 1-bit power modulator

A Q-band Class-E 1-bit power modulator is demonstrated in a 0.13/μm SiGe HBT BiCMOS process for high-speed digital polar transmitters at mm-waves. A double-stacked SiGe HBT `beyond BVceo' switching Class-E architecture has been used to generate high power while maintaining high efficiency at mm-waves. Using a novel architecture of input switching in a Class-E architecture biased with negligible quiescent current, both high peak PAE under continuous wave operation as well as high average efficiency under OOK modulation are maintained. The fully integrated 46 GHz prototype demonstrates a measured saturated output power of 21.8 dBm with peak PAE ≈ 18.5% under static (continuous wave) operation as well as average power of 18 dBm under 1 Gbps OOK modulation with average PAE ≈ 10%.