A 1. 9-GHz-Band Single-Chip GaAs T/R-MMIC Front-End Operating with a Single Voltage Supply of 2 V

Kazuya YAMAMOTO  Takao MORIWAKI  Yutaka YOSHI  Kenichiro CHOMEI  Takayuki FUJII  Jun OTSUJI  Yukio MIYAZAKI  Kazuo NISHITANI  

Publication
IEICE TRANSACTIONS on Electronics   Vol.E81-C       pp.1112-1121
Publication Date: 1998/07/25
Online ISSN: 
DOI: 
Print ISSN: 0916-8516
Type of Manuscript: Category: Electronic Circuits
Keyword: 
GaAs MESFET,  MMIC front-end,  single-chip,  voltage-doubler,  negative-voltage generator,  

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Summary: 
A single-chip GaAs Transmit/Receive (T/R)-MMIC front-end has been developed which is applicable to 1. 9-GHz personal communication terminals such as digital cordless phones. This chip is fabricated using a planar self-aligned gate FET useful for low-cost and high-volume production. The chip integrates RF front-end analog circuits a power amplifier, a T/R-switch, and a low-noise amplifier. Additionally integrated are a newly developed voltage-doubler negative-voltage generator (VDNVG) and a control logic circuit to control transmit and receive functions, enabling both a single-voltage operation and an enhanced power handling capability of the switch, even under a single low-voltage supply condition of 2 V. The power amplifier incorporated onto the chip is capable of delivering a 21 dBm output power at a 39% efficiency, and a 30 dB associated gain with a 2 V single power supply in the transmit mode. The gain and efficiency are higher than those of the previously reported amplifier operating with a 2 V single power supply. The VDNVG produces a step-up voltage of 2. 9 V as well as a negative voltage of -1. 8 V from a 2 V power supply, operating with a charge time of less than 0. 25 µs. The control logic circuit on the chip has a newly designed interface circuit utilizing the step-up voltage and negative voltage, thereby enabling the chip to handle high power outputs over 24 dBm with a low operating voltage of 2 V. In the receive mode, a 1. 7 dB noise figure and a 0. 6 dB insertion loss are achieved with a current dissipation of 3. 6 mA. The developed MMIC, which is the first reported 2 V single-voltage operation T/R-MMIC front-end, is expected to contribute to the size and weight reductions in personal communication terminals.