Compact wideband differential SiGe BiCMOS low noise amplifier for application in digital beam-forming receivers

In this paper, a highly compact wideband fully integrated, fully differential low noise amplifier, using a 0.25 μm SiGe BiCMOS technology, is presented. The IC is based on a cascode topology using resistive feedback in order to achieve the targeted bandwidth. Because of the selected topology, the circuit has a die size of only 330 μm x 370 μm. The LNA achieves a gain exceeding 15 dB up to 15 GHz and has an input and output matching below -10 dB over the whole operation bandwidth. The input referred 1-dB compression point is -18.5 dBm at 5 GHz and the measured input third order intercept point is -7 dBm. The simulated noise figure is between 1.8 dB at 3 GHz and 2.5 dB at 12 GHz. The LNA consumes 28 mA at a supply voltage level of 5 V. This amplifier is intended for future implementation in highly integrated digital beam-forming receivers operating at L-, S-, Cor X-band.