A 23-28 GHz pHEMT MMIC Low-Noise Amplifier for Satellite-Cellular Convergence Applications

Satellite-cellular convergence promises to enable higher millimetre-wave bandwidth (data rate); beamformed better signal alignment (higher system efficiency); multi-connectivity (higher data rates); and new use cases (verticals). Harnessing these opportunities will depend on overcoming challenges spanning shorter distance/reduced coverage and component complexity; construction of antenna array and over-the-air testing; coexistence issues between multiple mobile communication connections; performance tests; cybersecurity. This paper presents a broadband monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) low-noise amplifier (LNA) based on a 0.15 µm gate length Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) pseudomorphic high electron transistor (pHEMT) technology for satellite-cellular convergence use cases applications. The designed three-stage 23-28 GHz LNA demonstrates an industry-leading flat gain response of 30 dB, a noise figure of 1.70 dB and a very low power dissipation of 43 mW. The differential sensitivity response spans 0.01 µs to 0.04 dBm/Hz over the upper and lower ends of the channel bandwidths of the 5G New Release frequency range n258 band (24.25-27.58 GHz). Moreover, the millimetre-wave regenerative sensitivity analysis of the designed LNA holds a grand promise for real-time component-level reconfiguration applications. These applications include dynamic spectrum access; regenerative wireless transponder-transceiver technologies support; active spectrum resource usage; distributed sensing over a multi-standards wideband spectrum; and massive and complex time-varying spectrum datasets/features.