Feasibility Demonstration of a Ka-Band Linearized Channel Amplifier in Silicon Technology for Space Applications

This paper presents the design, implementation and characterizations of a Ka-Band [17.3 - 20.2 GHz] linearized channel amplifier (LCAMP) for space Travelling Wave Tube Amplifier (TWTA). The 130nm SiGe BiCMOS technology from ST Microelectronics (BiCMOS9MW) has been used. It validates the feasibility of a LCAMP and all its constitutive building blocks in silicon technologies at such high frequencies with high linearity requirements, hence allowing to consider a drastic mass, footprint and cost reduction of such equipment.