A 0.68-dB NF, 1.1GHz-band low noise amplifier for square kilometer array application

Abstract

This paper presents the design and implementation of a fully on-chip wideband low noise amplifier (LNA) using 0.25-micron Silicon-on-Sapphire (SOS) technology for the next-generation Square Kilometre Array (SKA) radio telescope application. Ultra low noise and wideband operation are the principle design challenges in LNA for SKA application. The proposed LNA design employs cascaded inductive degeneration architecture and achieves broadband matching by using on-chip high quality factor (Q) SOS inductors inter-stage/intermediate LC matching circuit. Use of high Q inductors results in low noise input matching circuit that enables the LNA to achieve the required minimum noise figure (NF). The proposed LNA is a complete on-chip solution that achieves a NF from 0.57dB to 0.68dB over 1.1GHZ-band with a minimum gain of 15.3dB. This design consumes only 40.78mW of power from a 2.5-V power supply.