A microwave switchable low‐noise power amplifier for an active backscatter tag

Abstract

This article reports the design of a switchable low‐noise power amplifier (LNPA) intended for an active backscatter tag used in microwave localization and positioning applications. Due to system specifications, the backscattering transponder requires an amplifier having both low‐noise and high‐output power characteristics at the same time. Low‐noise amplifier and PA design considerations are both taken into account to realize a single structure achieving the required performances. The proposed LNPA is operating in the frequency range of 4.5–5.8 GHz. It achieves a gain of 21 dB with a ripple of ±1 dB, a noise figure of less than 2.5 dB, and an output compression point at −1 dB of 11 dBm over the operational bandwidth. This structure can be switched on and off by a control signal to modulate the tag radar cross section and enable distance measurement. A packaged prototype of the LNPA was fabricated and measured. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 56:1251–1255, 2014

A Low Noise Power Amplifier MMIC to Mitigate Co-Site Interference in 5G Front End Modules

“…Reduced transceiver footprints are of significant importance, particularly for use in an antenna array with a multitude of antenna elements -a key feature of 5G transmission systems [10]. Applications of LNPAs span a wide range from harmonic feedback loop oscillators [11], to RF frontends [9], to active backscatter tags [12].…”