An Ultra-Wideband Amplifier MMIC for 3-10.6 GHz Wireless Applications with InGaP/GaAs HBT Technology

Abstract

An ultra-wideband amplifier MMIC has been demonstrated for the Ultra-Wide-Band (UWB) standard with InGaP/GaAs Heterojunction Bipolar Transistor (HBT) technology. The fabricated MMIC chip size is only 0.53 mm by 0.93mm. The amplifier MMIC includes all matching circuits on the chip. This amplifier MMIC is applicable to both a UWB low noise amplifier and a UWB transmitter amplifier by changing the collector current. The operating bias currents are 15 mA for a low noise amplifier and 30 mA for a transmitter amplifier. The collector bias voltage is 3.0 V. The MMIC as a transmitter amplifier exhibits a gain of 16 +/-1 dB and a third-order intercept point at the input (IIP3) of 0 dBm with 6.0 and 6.01 GHz signals with equal amplitude level. As a low noise amplifier, the MMIC exhibits a noise figure of less than 3.7 dB from 3.1 to 10.6 GHz.