0.1-µm GaAs PHEMT W-band low noise amplifier MMIC using coplanar waveguide technology

Abstract

This paper presents the performance of a first pass design W-band low noise amplifier MMIC, based on coplanar waveguide (CPW) technology, and utilising 100-nm gate-length GaAs pseudomorphic power HEMTs. With a chip size of less than 1.4 mm2, this two-stage LNA achieves an average small signal gain of 12 dB between 80 and 100 GHz. The measured noise figure averages 5 dB up to 94 GHz. To the author knowledge, this performance is one of the very few reported for W-band LNAs fabricated in commercially available foundry process. It is also comparable to the best results reported with more advanced InP or Metamorphic HEMT low noise technologies.