A novel active variable gain X-Band amplifier in SiGe technology

Rémi Corbière (1) , Bruno Louis (1) , Jean-Guy Tartarin (2, 3)

1 Thales Airborne Systems
2 LAAS-MOST - Équipe Microondes et Opto-microondes pour Systèmes de Télécommunications
3 UT3 - Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier

In this paper, a new structure based on variable gain amplifiers (VGAs) in SiGe technology with high linearity (Pin1dB > 8 dBm) and high dynamic range (> 30 dB) under 3.3 V is presented. In this proposed technique, two VGAs and a passive attenuator are used to improve the linearity especially at high attenuation. The simulated gain errors are less than +/-0.1 dB for a 0.5 dB step over the whole dynamic gain range (31.5 dB). The Pin1dB is better than 8 dBm at the maximum gain of 8 dB and better than 22 dBm above 16 dB of attenuation.

Mots clés: High linearity amplifiers; Monte-Carlo simulations; RF analog circuits; Silicon bipolar/BiCMOS process technology; Variable gain amplifiers (VGAs).

Domaines: Micro et nanotechnologies/Microélectronique

Rémi Corbière, Bruno Louis, Jean-Guy Tartarin. A novel active variable gain X-Band amplifier in SiGe technology. International Microwave Symposium (IMS 2010), May 2010, Anaheim, CA, United States. pp.312-315, ⟨10.1109/MWSYM.2010.5515104⟩. ⟨hal-01343955⟩