66–87 GHz power amplifier with 20dBm 1-dB compression point and 35% peak PAE in a 55nm SiGe technology

This paper presents the design of a mm-Wave PA for a transmitter of an E-Band mobile backhaul network, implemented using a 55nm SiGe BiCMOS technology. It has a 4-stage balanced CE configuration and the outputs are converted to single-ended using an integrated balun, which provides insertion losses smaller than 1dB at E-Band frequencies. The PA presents a maximum S21 of 15.5 dB at 74GHz and its 3-dB bandwidth covers from 66 to 87 GHz. Its output 1-dB compression point has a maximum of 20dBm and is above 18.75dBm across the whole E-Band, with a peak PAE of 35%. The different stages are externally biased and the Vcc voltage is 1.5V. The total DC power consumption is 275 mW.