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60 GHz-Band Low-Noise Amplifier

National Mobile Communications Research Laboratory, Southeast University, No. 2 Sipailou, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210096, P. R. China

Department of Electrical Engineering, Pakistan Air Force Karachi, Institute of Economics and Technology, PAF Base, Korangi Creek, Karachi, 75190, Pakistan

E-mail Address: najam_seu@pafkiet.edu.pk

E-mail Address: najam_seu@hotmail.com

Corresponding author.

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Lianfeng Shen

National Mobile Communications Research Laboratory, Southeast University, No. 2 Sipailou, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210096, P. R. China

E-mail Address: lfshen@seu.edu.cn

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Zhi-Gong Wang

Institute of RF- and OE-ICs, Southeast University, No. 2 Sipailou, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210096, P. R. China

E-mail Address: zgwang@seu.edu.cn

Corresponding author.

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Muhammad Ovais Akhter

Department of Electrical Engineering, Pakistan Air Force Karachi, Institute of Economics and Technology, PAF Base, Korangi Creek, Karachi, 75190, Pakistan

E-mail Address: ovais.akhter@pafkiet.edu.pk

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Muhammad Tariq Afridi

Department of Computer Systems Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology, Peshawar, Pakistan

E-mail Address: tariq.afridi@uetpeshawar.edu.pk

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https://doi.org/10.1142/S021812661750075XCited by:1 (Source: Crossref)

Abstract

This paper presents the design of a 60GHz-band LNA intended for the 63.72–65.88GHz frequency range (channel-4 of the 60GHz band). The LNA is designed in a 65-nm CMOS technology and the design methodology is based on a constant-current-density biasing scheme. Prior to designing the LNA, a detailed investigation into the transistor and passives performances at millimeter-wave (MMW) frequencies is carried out. It is shown that biasing the transistors for an optimum noise figure performance does not degrade their power gain significantly. Furthermore, three potential inductive transmission line candidates, based on coplanar waveguide (CPW) and microstrip line (MSL) structures, have been considered to realize the MMW interconnects. Electromagnetic (EM) simulations have been performed to design and compare the performances of these inductive lines. It is shown that the inductive quality factor of a CPW-based inductive transmission line ( $Q_{L, C P W})$ is more than 3.4 times higher than its MSL counterpart @ 65GHz. A CPW structure, with an optimized ground-equalizing metal strip density to achieve the highest inductive quality factor, is therefore a preferred choice for the design of MMW interconnects, compared to an MSL. The LNA achieves a measured forward gain of $12 \pm 1.44$ dB with good input and output impedance matching of better than $- 10$ dB in the desired frequency range. Covering a chip area of 1256 $μ$ m $\times 500 μ$ m including the pads, the LNA dissipates a power of only 16.2mW.

This paper was recommended by Regional Editor Piero Malcovati.

Keywords:

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