b. boudjelida1 uman lna programme 4 th skads workshop, lisbon, 2-3 october 2008 university of...

B. BOUDJELIDA 1UMan LNA Programme4th SKADS Workshop, Lisbon, 2-3 October 2008

University of Manchester:University of Manchester:

Progress on LNA ProgrammeProgress on LNA Programme

B. Boudjelida, A. Sobih, A. Bouloukou, S. Arshad, S. Boulay, J. Sly and M. Missous

School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering

University of Manchester


OUTLINEOUTLINE

• Introduction

• LNA Elements• Modelling (pHEMTs and passives)• Noise measurements

• LNA Results• MMIC using InP (RF + noise)

• MIC using off-the shelves components (AVAGO + NEC transistors)• Noise predictions for next LNA

• Conclusions

~ 5 cm

pHEMTs

Resistors

Capacitors

Inductors

~ 1 mm


Workflow at University of ManchesterWorkflow at University of Manchester

Parameter extraction & device modelling

Material growth

Material assessment

Process set-up and fabrication

DC & RF measurements

LNA circuit design

LNA building blocks library

LNA Fabrication!

Process set-up

LNA testing

Noise measurements

LNA layout design LNA Measurement

IntroductionIntroduction


0.5 1.0 1.50.0 2.0

50100150200250300

0

350

VDS (V)

Id (m

A/m

m)

MeasuredModel

5 10 15 200 25

-40-30-20-10

01020

-50

30

Frequency (GHz)

S-Pa

ram

eter

s (d

B)

MeasuredLinear ModelNon-Linear Model

S21

S12

LNA ElementsLNA ElementsModelling: passives and pHEMTSModelling: passives and pHEMTS

For all passives, good “scalable” models successfully obtained as a function of physical parameters

4 x 200 µm (XMBE109-Run1)

Vp = -1.3 eVGm = 300 mS/mmFt ~ 30 GHzFmax ~ 35 GHz

Good agreement between linear, non-linear and measured data.


LNA ElementsLNA ElementsInGaAs/InAlAs pHEMTs Noise MeasurementsInGaAs/InAlAs pHEMTs Noise Measurements

For better noise, the devices MUST be biased at low VDS good for power dissipation!

XMBE109 – 4x200 μm device: Noise figure in a 50Ω system at different bias points (Freq=1GHz).

VDS=1V : NF50 ~ 1dB (lower for higher current) Lowest NF for lower VDS : WHY?

Gate leakage due to impact ionization!


0.00

0.20

0.40

0.60

0.80

1.00

1.20

1.40

3.00E+08 8.00E+08 1.30E+09 1.80E+09 2.30E+09 2.80E+090.00

0.20

0.40

0.60

0.80

1.00

1.20

1.40

NF

min

(d

B)

2.80.3 0.8 1.3 1.8 2.3

Frequency (GHz)

LNA ElementsLNA ElementsInGaAs/InAlAs pHEMTs Noise MeasurementsInGaAs/InAlAs pHEMTs Noise MeasurementsIndependent Lab: MC2 (spin-off IEMN Lille)Independent Lab: MC2 (spin-off IEMN Lille)

XMBE109 – 4x200 μm device: Minimum noise figure extracted from the “F50” method.

• Extraction of the noise parameters relies on the equivalent circuit.

•NFmin ~ 0.5 dB @ 1GHz

VDS=1V; 10%IDSS


0.00

0.02

0.04

0.06

0.08

0.10

0.12

0.14

0.16

3.00E+08 8.00E+08 1.30E+09 1.80E+09 2.30E+09 2.80E+09

0.16

0.00

0.02

0.04

0.06

0.08

0.10

0.12

0.14

2.80.3 0.8 1.3 1.8 2.3

Frequency (GHz)

NF

min

(d

B)

LNA ElementsLNA ElementsInGaAs/InAlAs pHEMTs Noise MeasurementsInGaAs/InAlAs pHEMTs Noise MeasurementsIndependent Lab: MC2 (spin-off IEMN Lille)Independent Lab: MC2 (spin-off IEMN Lille)

XMBE109 – 4x200 μm device: Minimum noise figure measured using the multi-impedance method (tuner).

• Measurement independent of the equivalent circuit!

• Expensive… requires accurate tuners.

• NFmin ~ 0.05 dB @ 1GHz !!

• This method is believed to give more accurate results BUT the “true” NFmin is likely to lie between the 2 measurement methods.

NFmin ~ 0.2 dB @ 1GHz

VDS=1V; 10%IDSS


Transistor biased at 20% IDSS (VD = 1V ; ID~40 mA)

LNA circuit

No input inductor, use of large resistor, parameters optimized for best performance

Ld series resistance + Rb are used for biasing the drain

Comments:

GSG - 100μm pitch probes

LNA layout

GSG - 100μm pitch probes

Fabricated LNA

LNA ResultsLNA ResultsInP MMIC design, fabrication and measurementInP MMIC design, fabrication and measurement


0.6 1.0 1.4 1.8 2.2 2.60.2 3.0

-40

-20

0

-60

20

Frequency (GHz)

S(1

,2) (d

B)

S(2

,1) (d

B)

1.0 1.5 2.0 2.50.5 3.0

-8

-6

-4

-2

-10

0

Frequency (GHz)

S(2

,2) (d

B)

S(1

,1) (d

B)

m2freq=NFmeas=1.289

1.425GHz

m1freq=NFsim=0.845

1.425GHz

1.0 1.5 2.0 2.50.5 3.0

1

2

0

3

Frequency (GHz)

NFm

inN

Fm

eas

1.425G1.289

m2

NFsi

m

1.425G845.4m

m1

NFm

eas1

m2freq=NFmeas=1.289

1.425GHz

m1freq=NFsim=0.845

1.425GHz

1.0 1.5 2.0 2.50.5 3.0

1.01.21.41.61.82.0

0.8

2.2

Frequency (GHz)

Sta

bili

ty

VD

7.2E-1V

VG

-1.0E0V

IGGsim

-4.1E-10A

IDDsim

-3.1E-2A

IDDmeas

3.0E-2

IGGmeas

2.3E-6

Simulated (ECM)Measured




Source

Load

LNA ResultsLNA ResultsInP MMIC RF and Noise resultsInP MMIC RF and Noise results

Discrepancies with noise highly likely to be due to NiCr resistors process

Could also be due to measurement issues (no decoupling probes for DC feed)


LNA ResultsLNA ResultsMIC design, fabrication and measurementMIC design, fabrication and measurement

NEC transistors, Double-stage circuit, optimised for 0.4-2 GHz operation

Goals:

Demonstrate the validity of the model predictions“Easy-to-assemble” using commercial off the shelves componentsCould be used for demonstrators such as 2PAD


LNA ResultsLNA ResultsMIC design, fabrication and measurementMIC design, fabrication and measurement

0.7 1.2 1.7 2.20.2 2.5

-50

0

-100

50

Frequency (GHz)

S(x

,y) d

B

0.7 1.2 1.7 2.20.2 2.5

-15

-10

-5

-20

0

Frequency (GHz)

S(x

,x) d

B

S(1,2)

S(2,1)S(1,1)

S(2,2)

8 different LNAs designed using NEC and Avago transistors

Single and double-stage circuits being measured now!

Very good noise predictions!

NF < 0.6 dB !


LNA circuit

Input bias and impedance match off-chip

L series resistances used for drain biasing

Comments:

LNA ResultsLNA ResultsInP MMIC predictionsInP MMIC predictions


m1freq=NF=0.344

1.400GHz

m2freq=NFmin=0.279

1.400GHz

0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.80.2 2.0

0.10.20.30.40.50.6

0.0

0.7

Frequency (GHz)

Noi

se F

igur

e (d

B)

Readout

m2

Readout

m1

m1freq=NF=0.344

1.400GHz

m2freq=NFmin=0.279

1.400GHzNFmin

NF

m1freq=dB(S(2,1))=25.959

1.400GHz

0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.80.2 2.0

-80-60-40-20

020

-100

40

Frequency (GHz)

S-P

aram

eter

s (d

B)

Readout

m1

m1freq=dB(S(2,1))=25.959

1.400GHzS21

S12

0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.80.2 2.0

-80

-60

-40

-20

0

20

-100

40

freq, GHz

dB

(S(2

,1))

1.400G25.96

m1

dB

(S(1

,2))

m1freq=dB(S(2,1))=25.959

1.400GHz

freq

0.0000 Hz

VD1

1.006 V

VG1

-1.080 V

ID1.i

-18.13 mA

IG1.i

-509.4 nA

freq

0.0000 Hz

VD2

1.001 V

VG2

-1.077 V

ID2.i

-18.51 mA

IG2.i

-509.4 nA

0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.80.2 2.0

-15

-10

-5

-20

0

freq, GHz

dB

(S(1

,1))

Readout

m2

dB

(S(2

,2))

Readout

m3

m2freq=dB(S(1,1))=-9.411

1.400GHz

m3freq=dB(S(2,2))=-14.739

1.390GHz

0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.80.2 2.0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.0

0.7

10

20

30

40

50

60

0

70

freq, GHz

NFm

in

Readout

m4NF

Readout

m5

NF (K

)

Readout

m6

m4freq=NFmin=0.279

1.400GHz

m5freq=NF=0.344

1.400GHz

m6freq=NFK=23.9

1.4GHz

0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.80.2 2.0

2

3

4

5

1

6

freq, GHz

MuL

MuS

Eqn Pdiss=-(ID1.i*3+ID2.i*3)*1000

freq

0Hz

Pdiss

110

Eqn NFK=290*(pow(10,(NF/10))-1)

LNA ResultsLNA ResultsInP MMIC predictionsInP MMIC predictions

NF< 0.35 dB from 0.3 to 1.6 GHz


ConclusionsConclusions

• The first full MMIC LNA successfully modelled, fabricated and tested

• The measured NF in the 50Ω system is also higher than what predicted by the simulations due to Resistors (under investigation, 2nd MMIC run under way)

• Still very good agreement between measurement and models using the equivalent circuit models

MMIC

• The first fabricated MICs yield measured NF as low as 0.6 dB (~42K)

• Super low noise InGaAs/InAlAs pHEMTs technology demonstratedNFmin < 0.2 dB @ 1GHz using the 1 µm gate geometry

• Noise predictions demonstratedMIC

Next LNA expected to go below 0.35 dB (25K) at RT in a 50Ω system between 0.3 to 1.6 GHz

b. boudjelida1 uman lna programme 4 th skads workshop, lisbon, 2-3 october 2008 university of...

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