18-31 GHz GaN wideband low noise amplifier (LNA) using a 0.1 μm T-gate high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) process

Abstract

GaN technology has attracted main attention towards its application to high‐power amplifier. Most recently, noise performance of GaN device has also won acceptance. Compared with GaAs low noise amplifier (LNA), GaN LNA has a unique superiority on power handling. In this work, we report a wideband Silicon‐substrate GaN MMIC LNA operating in 18‐31 GHz frequency range using a commercial 0.1 μm T‐Gate high electron mobility transistor process (OMMIC D01GH). The GaN MMIC LNA has an average noise figure of 1.43 dB over the band and a minimum value of 1.27 dB at 23.2 GHz, which can compete with GaAs and InP MMIC LNA. The small‐signal gain is between 22 and 25 dB across the band, the input and output return losses of the MMIC are less than −10 dB. The P1dB and OIP3 are at 17 dBm and 28 dBm level. The four‐stage MMIC is 2.3 × 1.0 mm2 in area and consumes 280 mW DC power. Compared with GaAs and InP LNA, the GaN MMIC LNA in this work exhibits a comparative noise figure with higher linearity and power handling ability.

A Low-power, High-gain and Excellent Noise Figure GaN-on-SiC LNA Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuit (MMIC) operating at Ka-band for 5G/6G Application

“…The AlN/GaN/AlGaN double heterojunction epitaxy structure is grown on SiC substrate by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) [8]. Due to the strong polarization effect of AlN, the energy band difference of AlN/GaN is large, so a high concentration of two-dimensional electron gas (2-DEG) can be formed at the interface of the two materials [9][10][11][12]. The negative polarization charge on the back of AlN increases the energy band of the AlGaN barrier, so that the probability of 2-DEG entering AlGaN is greatly reduced.…”

Design ofGaN‐basedX‐band LNAsto achieve sub‐1.2 dBnoise figure

“…On the other hand, gallium arsenide (GaAs) technology takes an edge regarding noise performance. 1,2,3,4,5 There are recently reported works 6,7,8,9 with promising NF for other competitive technologies, that is, SiGe BiCMOS and CMOS. A comparative noise investigation from DC -60 GHz, using 70 nm GaAs, and 60 nm GaN-on-Si processes, has shown superior noise performance of the GaAs process for most of the frequency range.…”

“…Over the years, GaN technology also started to take its place in low noise applications due to built‐in power handling capability at the receive end, compact transceiver designs, and high linearity. On the other hand, gallium arsenide (GaAs) technology takes an edge regarding noise performance 1,2,3,4,5 . There are recently reported works 6,7,8,9 with promising NF for other competitive technologies, that is, SiGe BiCMOS and CMOS.…”

Composite‐channel In 0. 17 Al 0 . 83 N /In 0. 1 Ga 0 . 9 N <

“…The outstanding material properties such as high output power density, high-frequency operation, high terminal voltage operation, high gain and, high power-added efficiency, GaNbased high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) are widely used in millimeter-wave power amplifiers than Si-Ge, GaAs, and silicon LDMOS. [1][2][3] Nowadays, GaN-based HEMTs are attracting a significant attention for microwave low-noise applications as they allow achieving good microwave noise performance, [4][5][6] building high power amplifiers (HPAs), low noise amplifiers (LNAs) in the same epitaxial material, and eliminating the receiver protection circuitry (reducing the overall RF front-end noise contribution), due to excellent robustness of GaN-HEMTs.…”