A Ku band SiGe low noise amplifier

SiGe heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs) combine good overall RF performance with low noise figures. The use of SiGe HBT MMICs in RF communication systems promises low cost and high yield. Potential markets today are 10-12 GHz TV broadcasting and multimedia-delivery satellite systems. They can be addressed by present device technologies. Future systems will operate in the higher Ku and Ka bands and will require an optimization of the SiGe HBT device structures. The SiGe HBT low noise amplifier presented here is a design study that demonstrates the ability to reach beyond X-band. It shows that scaled SiGe transistors will continue to be a low cost option for the future communication market,.