A Full D-Band Low Noise Amplifier in 130 nm SiGe BiCMOS using Zero-Ohm Transmission Lines

This paper presents the design, analysis and optimization of a three-stage cascode full D-Band Low Noise Amplifier (LNA) in an industrial established 130nm SiGe BiCMOS technology with a f
_t
/f
_max
of 250/370 GHz from Infineon Technologies. Transmission lines with a low characteristic impedance, also known as Zero-Ohm transmission lines, are used to control the impedance at the base of the common base stage of the cascode. The proposed amplifier features a 3dB bandwidth from 110-165 GHz with 23 dB peak gain at a measured noise figure between 6 and 7.9 dB over the entire D-Band. To achieve this result, a detailed analysis of the transistor characteristics, matching networks, parasitic extraction as well as self implemented optimization and synthesis procedure for the passive structures has been realized. Measured and simulated results are in good agreement.