A 17 GHz Transformer-neutralized Current Re-use LNA and Its Application to a Low-power RF Front-end

A 17 GHz current re-use low noise amplifier (LNA) is designed in 0.13 mu m CMOS for low power applications such as wireless sensor networks. The LNA also employs transformer based feedback to neutralize the gate-drain capacitance of a MOSFET. The LNA achieves 15.4 dB gain into a 50 Omega load along with 1.9 GHz bandwidth. It features 4.5dB NF and -12 dBm IIP3 while consuming 7.8 mW of power. A 17 GHz receiver frontend using a similar two-stage LNA and a mixer is also demonstrated which achieves 25 dB of voltage conversion gain at 70 MHz IF, 7 dB NF, -18 dBm IIP3 and consumes 8 mW from a 1.2 V supply.