Design of X-Band Miniature Balanced Limiter-Low Noise Amplifier Chip

Based on GaAs PIN diode and GaAs pHEMT integrated technology, a miniature balanced limiter-low noise amplifier(LNA)chip is designed. A balanced architecture is used in this design to enhance the power capacity of the limiter. The impedance matching of input and output is optimized, which enhance the reliability of this chip. Current-reuse technique is used in the LNA to reduce the total power. This chip is powered by +5V single power supply, static current about 35mA, working frequency band 8GHz-12GHz, noise figure lower than 1.8dB, VSWR less than 1.4, gain larger than 24dB, output power at 1dB compression point (P1dB) larger than 10 dBm, can work in 20W continuous wave power. The chip size is 3.2mm*2.4mm. This design combines balanced limiter and amplifier in one single chip, which makes the circuit arrangement compact and the product size smaller. Compared with the type of hybrid integrated circuit, this chip has smaller size and better performance. This design can decease the transceiver and receiver(T/R) component size, decease the hardness of assembling, increase the consistency of different channels.