A High Dynamic Range Power Detector at X-Band

This letter presents an X-band power detector in a 0.25-mu m SiGe BiCMOS technology which utilizes a novel technique, cascode configuration with diode connected PMOS load that provides high responsivity, high dynamic range and wide-band input matching for various input powers. This configuration achieves a dynamic range of 52 dB, which is the highest dynamic range for a single stage X-band power detector to the best of author's knowledge. The total chip area is 0.42 mm(2), including pads. Total power consumption is 7.2 mW. Results demonstrate that such a power detector can be used for built-in digital self calibration of X-band front-end circuits.