LNA and mixer for 122 GHz receiver in SiGe technology

The paper presents 122 GHz receiver circuits including a low-noise-amplifier (LNA) and a mixer fabricated in SiGe BiCMOS technology. The design takes advantage of a novel transmission line structure with thick metal ground-shield on top of the MMIC. The LNA utilizes a two-stage cascode topology and the mixer is a Gilbert cell with additional current injection in the RF-path. Measurements of the receiver frontend show a gain of 12 dB and a noise figure below 13 dB at 121-129 GHz. The power consumption is 165 mW from a 3.5 Volt supply. The receiver frontend is intended for the use in ISM-band radar and communication systems, wide-band communication systems and in radar imaging systems.