A 5.6dB Noise-Figure X-Band to W-Band CMOS Frequency-Extender Receiver Frontend

This paper presents an 88–98 GHz receiver frontend with an X-band IF output and an X-band LO input. The receiver is designed to extend existing X-band systems to allow enhanced functionality. The implemented topology utilizes a linear differential low-noise amplifier (LNA) followed by a passive mixer for extended linearity. A ×8 LO multiplication chain is integrated to allow the X-band input. A common-gate (CG) IF amplifier is placed after the passive mixer to allow the increased linearity of ‘current mode’ mixer operation. The receiver achieves < 8 dB noise figure (NF) in the 90–98 GHz range with a minimum value of 5.6 dB. The peak conversion gain is 17 dB with a 3-dB bandwidth (BW) of 8.5 GHz in a constant IF measurement. The maximum input-referred P1dB is -17 dBm with values > -22 dBm for different LO and IF frequencies. The receiver was fabricated in TSMC 65 nm bulk CMOS, occupies a core are of 0.15 µm², and consumes 180 mW from a 1.2 V supply.