Abstract
This paper describes the analysis, design, and characterization of a high-sensitivity millimeter-wave total-power radiometer front-end integrated into a 0.25-μm SiGe:C BiCMOS technology. This prototype is composed of a two cascode stage low-noise amplifier (LNA) and a voltage-driven common-emitter square-law detector. The LNA is interfaced to the detector through a low transformation ratio (i.e., high-impedance node) to achieve an efficient wideband signal transfer. The front end achieves both a low 1/f -noise corner and a low noise-equivalent power (NEP) by combining a large area, high resistive value load resistor together with a minimum size heterojunction bipolar transistor. At 56 GHz and optimum bias, the prototype provides a 61-MV/W responsivity which combined with a 194-nV/√Hz white noise level result in a 3.2-fW/√Hz NEP when the input power is modulated with a frequency above the 30-Hz flicker noise corner. The achieved 3-dB NEP bandwidth is 6 GHz.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 2256-2266 |
Number of pages | 11 |
Journal | IEEE Journal of Solid State Circuits |
Volume | 52 |
Issue number | 9 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2017 |
Keywords
- 1/f noise
- BiCMOS integrated circuits
- Ge-Si alloys
- carbon
- low noise amplifiers
- millimetre wave amplifiers
- millimetre wave detectors
- radiometers
- semiconductor materials
- white noise
- 1/f -noise corner
- BiCMOS technology
- LNA
- NEP
- SiGe:C
- bandwidth 6 GHz
- frequency 56 GHz
- heterojunction bipolar transistor
- high-sensitivity millimeter-wave total-power radiometer front-end
- large area high resistive value load resistor
- low noise-equivalent power
- low transformation ratio
- optimum bias
- size 0.25 nm
- two cascode stage low-noise amplifier
- voltage-driven common-emitter square-law detector
- wideband signal transfer
- Antennas
- Bandwidth
- Detectors
- Radio frequency
- Radiometry
- Signal to noise ratio
- Direct detection
- flicker noise
- low-noise amplifier (LNA)
- millimeter-wave (mm-wave)
- radiometer
- square-law detector