Gallium arsenide 0.5–18 GHz antenna front‐end with integrated limiter and differential to single ended low‐noise amplifier. Issue 6 (5th April 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Pantoli, Leonardo; Stornelli, Vincenzo; Leuzzi, Giorgio; Bartocci, Marco; Trotta, Fabrizio; Gaetano, Domenico; Manna, Antonio; Ciacia, Egidio; Di Paolo, Franco
• Is Part Of: IET microwaves, antennas & propagation. Volume 12:Issue 6(2018)
• Page Start: 947
• Page End: 953
• Publication Date: 2018-04-05
• Subjects: low noise amplifiers -- gallium arsenide -- III‐V semiconductors -- differential amplifiers -- microwave antennas -- MMIC -- baluns -- impedance convertors; gallium arsenide antenna front‐end -- integrated limiter -- differential‐to‐single ended low‐noise amplifier -- active front‐end LNA -- airborne ultrawideband receiver systems -- MMIC -- high‐level signals -- ultrawideband amplifier circuit -- active balun -- impedance transformer -- common‐mode rejection -- input overload protection -- receiving system -- antenna mechanical support -- test measurements -- frequency 0.5 GHz to 18 GHz -- resistance 150 ohm -- gain 14 dB -- noise figure 4.5 dB; Microwaves -- Periodicals; Microwave antennas -- Periodicals; Antennas (Electronics) -- Periodicals; Radio wave propagation -- Periodicals; Microwave communication systems -- Periodicals; 621.381305
• DOI: 10.1049/iet-map.2017.0094
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1751-8725

Abstract

Abstract : In this study, the authors present a 36:1 relative bandwidth active front‐end low‐noise amplifier (LNA) with power limiter that has been developed for airborne ultra‐wideband receiver systems. The proposed system is driven by an external antenna with a balanced mode with an input impedance of 150 Ω. The whole microwave monolithic integrated circuit (MMIC) embeds a protection from the presence of high‐level signals, an ultra‐wideband amplifier circuit, an active balun and an impedance transformer. It has a bandwidth ranging from 0.5 to 18.0 GHz with 14 dB gain, 4.5 dB noise figure (NF), 20 dB common‐mode rejection and 30 dBm input overload protection. The circuit has a single bias from the output port greatly simplifying its use within a receiving system and can be directly integrated into the antenna mechanical support. Test measurements are also provided.