Analysis, Design and Characterization of a Novel Ultra-broadband, High gain and High Linearity Distributed Amplifier in 0.13-μm CMOS Technology

In this paper the analysis, design and characterization of an ultra-broadband, high gain and high linearityCMOS distributed amplifier (CMOS-DA) are presented. The proposed design shapes based on a new gain-cell thatadopts multiple techniques to substantially increase the gain. Combining the current reuse, active cascode, andinductively coupled cascaded techniques in designing the new gain cell leads to a significantly high gain CMOS-DA.The proposed CMOS-DA is simulated in a 0.13 μm CMOS process and is capable of operating at two modes includinghigh gain (HG) and low gain (LG) modes. Simulation results at the HG mode, illustrate a high power gain response of20 dB and a 3-dB bandwidth of 12 GHz and also, at LG mode achieve a 3-dB bandwidth of 14.5 GHz whit a powergain of 13.5 ± 0.4 dB. The simulated average noise figure (NF) for HG mode is 5 dB and 6 dB for LG mode,respectively. The IIP3 and input referred 1-dB compression point are simulated that achieve +11 dBm and -14 dBm at 6GHz at HG mode and obtain +12.3 dBm and -12 dBm at 7 GHz at LG mode, respectively. The power consumption of93.6 mW from a 1.2 V drain line’s supply at HG mode and 23.47 mW from a 0.9 V at LG mode are dissipated. Inputand output matching in the both HG and LG modes are less than -10 dB over the desired bandwidth. To the best of ourknowledge, it has one of the highest gain and linearity reported, and is competitive in power consumptions and NF thatof previously CMOS-DAs in the literatures.

Analysis, Design and Characterization of a Novel Ultra-broadband, High gain and High Linearity Distributed Amplifier in 0.13-μm CMOS Technology Keywords:

active cascode amplifier , CMOS distributed amplifier , ultra-broadband , high-gain , high linearity