First prototype fabricated using the methodologies of SYSTEMIC-RF

Low-noise amplifiers (LNAs) play a significant role in modern millimeter-wave (mm-Wave) integrated circuit multi-standard transceiver systems. Using the methodologies developed in SYSTEMIC-RF project it was possible to automatically develop an LNA with state-of-the-art performances.

A transformer-less LNA based on a cascade of two AC coupled common source stages, each with inductive degeneration, for the 28-GHz 5G communications band was fabricated. The automatic design methodology explored the topology design space over a 148-dimensional performance space spreading through different corners for process, voltage, and temperature. It results in about 1000 optimized LNA variants, with gains achieving up to 17.5-dB, and the noise Figure and power consumption down to 2.4-dB and 1.86-mW, respectively. These performance figures position the adopted LNA’s performance boundaries with the most recent mmWave LNAs.

From the 1000 obtained LNAs one of them was fabricated and measured, which showed state-of-the-art performances.