Abstract

W-band low-noise amplifier (LNA)MMICs have been developed using a 70 nm metamorphic HEMT (MHEMT)technology.The short gate length in combination with the high indium content of 80%in the channel lead to a maximum transconductance of 1500 ms/mm for a 2x30 µm device.This results in a transit frequency ft of 290 GHz.Two-and three-stage amplifiers were realized in coplanar waveguide technology (CPW)and achieved a small signal gain of 13 dB and 19 dB,respectively.The noise figure at room temperature of both LNAs was below 3 dB. The on-wafer measured output power at the P-1 dB compression point was 5 dBm.A modification of the three stage LNA showed a noise figure of 2.5 dB,with a small signal gain of 15 dB at 94 GHz.