Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Analysis and Optimization of Cascode Structure in Power Amplifier for X-Band Phase Array Radar Application

  • Published:
Circuits, Systems, and Signal Processing Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A 7.7–12 GHz fully monolithic transformer-coupled cascode power amplifier (PA) was designed for X-band phase array radar application. This PA was fabricated in a 0.25-\(\upmu \)m SiGe BiCMOS technology with chip size of \(2\times 2\) mm\(^{2}\). The best choice of the cascode topology for PA design is discussed and the possible stability issue of this configuration is analyzed. The distributed capacitor structure which is connected to the base of cascode transistor is proposed to reduce the base series inductance and hence, improve circuit stability and boost gain. Moreover, circuit/layout co-design for above structure is completed through full 3D simulation. The PA features a three-stage cascode architecture that includes both medium-speed (medium breakdown voltage) and high breakdown voltage (low-speed) SiGe transistors, and a 1:2 input splitter and a 4:1 output combiner which are designed for a low insertion loss and compact dimensions on-chip. The proposed PA achieves a measured small signal gain of 26.6–29.6 dB from 7.7 to 12 GHz with a 5.0 V DC supply. A 28 dBm maximum output power with an 18.5 % power-added efficiency at 10 GHz have also been achieved.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12
Fig. 13
Fig. 14
Fig. 15
Fig. 16
Fig. 17
Fig. 18
Fig. 19

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. K.H. An, O. Lee, H. Kim, D.H. Lee, J. Han, K.S. Yang, Y. Kim, J.J. Chang, W. Woo, C.-H. Lee, H. Kim, J. Laskar, Power-combining transformer techniques for fully-integrated CMOS power amplifiers. IEEE J. Solid State Circuits 5, 1064–1075 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. J. Andrews, J.D. Cressler, W.M.L. Kuo, C. Grens, T. Thrivikraman, S. Phillips, in An 850 mW X-band SiGe power amplifier, Proc. IEEE Bipolar/BiCMOS Circuits Technol. Meeting, 109–112 (2008)

  3. W. Bakalski, W. Simburger, R. Thuringer, A. Vasylyev, A.L. Scholtz, A fully integrated 5.3-GHz 2.4-V 0.3-W SiGe bipolar power amplifier with 50-\(\Omega \) output. IEEE J. Solid State Circuits 7, 1006–1014 (2004)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. J.-H. Chen, S.R. Helmi, A.Y.-S. Jou, S. Mohammadi, A wideband power amplifier in 45 nm CMOS SOI technology for X-band applications. IEEE Microw. Wireless Compon. Lett. 11, 587–589 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. T.S.D. Cheung, J.R. Long, A 21–26 GHz SiGe bipolar power amplifier MMIC. IEEE J. Solid State Circuits 12, 2583–2597 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. K. Gharibdoust, N. Mousavi, M. Kalantari, M. Moezzi, A. Medi, A fully integrated 0.18-\(\mu \)m CMOS transceiver chip for X-band phased-array systems. IEEE Trans. Microw. Theory Technol. 7, 2192–2202 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. C.M. Grens, J.D. Cressler, J.M. Andrews, Q. Liang, A.J. Joseph, in Reliability issues associated with operating voltage constraints in advanced SiGe HBTs, Proc. IEEE Int. Reliability Physics Symp., 409–414 (2005)

  8. J.E. Green, R.C. Tozer, J.R. David, Stability in small signal common base amplifiers. IEEE Trans. Circuits Syst. I 4, 846–855 (2012)

    Google Scholar 

  9. D. Hou, Y.-Z. Xiong, W.-L. Goh, W. Hong, M. Madihian, A D-band cascode amplifier with 24.3 dB gain and 7.7 dBm output power in 0.13-\(\mu \)m SiGe BiCMOS technology. IEEE Microw. Wireless Compon. Lett. 4, 191–193 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. E. Kaymaksut, B. Francois, P. Reynaert, Analysis and optimization of transformer-based power combining for back-off efficiency enhancement. IEEE Trans. Circuits Syst. I Regul. Pap. 4, 825–835 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. H.S. Kim, K.Y. Kim, W.Y. Kim, Y.S. Noh, I.B. Yom, I.Y. Oh, C.S. Park, SiGe MMIC power amplifier with on-chip lineariser for X-band applications. IET Electron. Lett. 20, 1036–1037 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. B.-H. Ku, S.-H. Baek, S.C. Hong, A wideband transformer-coupled CMOS power amplifier for X-band multifunction chips. IEEE Trans. Microw. Theory Technol. 6, 1599–1609 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. J. Li, Y.-Z. Xiong, Y. Li, W. Wu, in A X-band 28 dBm fully integrated power amplifier with 23 dB gain, Proc. IEEE Compound Semiconductor Integrated Circuit Symposium (CSICS), 1–4 (2013)

  14. Y.S. Noh, M.S. Uhm, I.B. Yom, A compact Ku-band SiGe power amplifier MMIC with on-chip active biasing. IEEE Microw. Wireless Compon. Lett. 6, 349–351 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. J. Powell, H. Kim, C.G. Sodini, SiGe receiver front ends for millimeter-wave passive imaging. IEEE Trans. Microw. Theory Technol. 11, 2416–2425 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. A.D. Pye, M.M. Hella, Analysis and optimization of transformer-based series power combining for reconfigurable power amplifiers. IEEE Trans. Circuits Syst. I Regul. Pap. 1, 37–50 (2011)

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  17. X. Wang, A. Dinh, D. Teng, A 3–10 GHz ultra wideband receiver LNA in 0.13 m CMOS. Circuits Syst. Signal Process 2, 453–476 (2014)

    Google Scholar 

  18. B. Zhang, Y.-Z. Xiong, L. Wang, S. Hu, T.G. Lim, Y.Q. Zhuang, L.W. Li, X. Yuan, in 130-GHz gain-enhanced SiGe low noise amplifier, Proc. IEEE ASSCC Dig. Tech. Papers, 1–4 (2010)

  19. S. Zihir, T. Dinc, Y. Gurbuz, Compact X-band sige power amplifier for single-chip phased array radar applications. IET Microw. Antennas Propag. 8, 956–961 (2010)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Ministerial Key Laboratory of JGMT, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing , 210094, China

    Jiankang Li & Wen Wu

  2. Semiconductor Device Research Laboratory, Terahertz Research Center CCAEP, Chengdu , 611731, China

    Yong-Zhong Xiong

  3. School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 639798 , Singapore, Singapore

    Yihu Li

Authors
  1. Jiankang Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Yong-Zhong Xiong
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Yihu Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Wen Wu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jiankang Li.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Li, J., Xiong, YZ., Li, Y. et al. Analysis and Optimization of Cascode Structure in Power Amplifier for X-Band Phase Array Radar Application. Circuits Syst Signal Process 34, 1–20 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00034-014-9849-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00034-014-9849-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation