A 3.1-10.6-GHz Current-Reused CMOS Ultra-Wideband Low-Noise Amplifier Using Self-Forward Body Bias and Forward Combining Techniques

A 3.1-10.6-GHz ultra-wideband low-noise amplifier (UWB LNA) with excellent phase linearity property (group-delay variation is only +/-19.46 ps across the whole band) using standard 0.18-mu m CMOS technology is reported. Current reused, self-forward body bias and forward combining techniques are used to achieve low power and high-power gain (S-21). Both high and flat S-21 and low and flat noise figure (NF) frequency responses are achieved by tuning the pole frequencies and pole quality factors of the second-order gain and NF frequency responses to approximate the maximally flat condition simultaneously. The LNA dissipates 6.93-mW power and achieves NF of 3.76 at 10 GHz. In addition, the LNA achieves input return loss (S-11) smaller than -10.6 dB, and high and flat S-21 of 11.02 +/- 0.47 dB over the 3.1-10.6-GHz band. The corresponding figure of merit (FOM) is 3.11 GHz/mW, one of the lowest FOMs ever reported for a 3.1-10.6 GHz CMOS UWB LNA. The measured input third-order intermodulation point (IIP3) is -3.6 dBm at 6 GHz. (C) 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.