High performance transformer based mm-wave CMOS power amplifier

This paper presents a new technique for transformer based millimeter-wave power amplifier design. For this purpose a new scalable model for on-chip transformers is introduced. The modeling technique is also validated for 90 nm LP CMOS technology by comparing measured and simulated results. Due to high accuracy and scalability of the model, a faster and more accurate design procedure for high performance transformer based power amplifier design is achieved. The measured results of the power amplifier show 22 dB gain, 14 dBm saturated output power, 12 dBm output power at 1dB compression point at 60 GHz with 0.065 mm
²
active chip size.