Differential BroadBand (1–16 GHz) MMIC GaAs mHEMT Low-Noise Amplifier for Radio Astronomy Applications and Sensing

Abstract

A broadband differential-MMIC low-noise amplifier (DLNA) using metamorphic high-electron-mobility transistors of 70 nm in Gallium Arsenide (70 nm GaAs mHEMT technology) is presented. The design and results of the performance measurements of the DLNA in the frequency band from 1 to 16 GHz are shown, with a high dynamic range, and a noise figure (NF) below 1.3 dB is obtained. In this work, two low-noise amplifiers (LNAs) were designed and manufactured in the OMMIC foundry: a dual LNA, which we call balanced, and a differential LNA, which we call DLNA. However, the paper focuses primarily on DLNA because of its differential architecture. Both use a 70 nm GaAs mHEMT space-qualified technology with a cutoff frequency of 300 GHz. With a low power bias Vbias/Ibias (5 V/40.5 mA), NF NF = 1.1 dB, from 1 to 10 GHz. Furthermore, it was obtained that NF NF of the DLNA MMIC with multioctave bandwidth that was built in the frequency range of the L-, S-, C-, and X-bands was satisfactory.

Keywords

• monolithic microwave integrated circuit
• broadband gallium arsenide
• noise figure
• radio astronomy
• differential low-noise amplifier
• stability analysis