CN109167578B

CN109167578B - Ultra-wideband low-noise amplifier with active inductor

Info

Publication number: CN109167578B
Application number: CN201810883027.8A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 闫旭; 张昊; 时家惠; 林福江
Original assignee: University of Science and Technology of China USTC
Current assignee: University of Science and Technology of China USTC
Priority date: 2018-08-06
Filing date: 2018-08-06
Publication date: 2020-08-28
Anticipated expiration: 2038-08-06
Also published as: CN109167578A

Abstract

The invention discloses an ultra-wideband low-noise amplifier with an active inductor, which realizes ultra-wideband and ultra-low noise. The ultra-wideband microwave low-noise amplifier with source multipath feedback comprises an input module (1), an amplification module (2) and a feedback branch (3). In the invention, the input end is introduced with an active inductor to realize input matching, and the used active inductor consists of a source follower, a load and a source feedback resistor which are formed by NMOS transistors. NMOM and PMOS are stacked in the amplification module to form current multiplexing, and signals are connected to the grid ends of the NMOS and the PMOS in an alternating-current coupling mode to provide the gain of the low-noise amplifier and reduce the direct-current power consumption of the low-noise amplifier. In addition, a resistive negative feedback branch is introduced between the output end and the active inductor, so that the bandwidth of the low-noise amplifier is further widened. The invention has simple structure, easy integration and small occupied chip area.

Description

Ultra-wideband low-noise amplifier with active inductor

Technical Field

The invention belongs to the technical field of radio frequency integrated circuits, and particularly relates to an ultra wide band low noise amplifier with an active inductor, which has the characteristics of wide band, low noise and low power consumption.

Background

Low noise amplifier circuits have a wide range of applications, and are used as the first stage circuit of a wireless communication receiver, and play a crucial role in the overall performance of the receiver chain.

With the coming of the 5G era, different communication standards are emerging, and the industry is moving towards high performance, low cost, low power consumption, functional integration and the like. The low noise amplifier is used as a core module, and is subject to more and more research and attention, and the design index requirements of the industry on the low noise amplifier are continuously improved. The requirement for compatibility is such that a low noise amplifier circuit must be able to operate over a wider frequency band; the requirement that the amplifier can work for a long time makes low power consumption another pursuit of low noise amplifier design; considering the cost, the chip area of the low noise amplifier is required not to be too large, so that the yield is reduced. Typical ultra-wideband low-power-consumption low-noise amplifiers generally adopt a common-source amplification structure with feedback, a common-gate amplification structure with transconductance enhancement, a distributed structure, a multi-stage amplification structure and the like, and can meet better gain and bandwidth requirements. In addition, noise cancellation, cross-capacitance coupling, multi-path feedback technology, etc. become the main technology and improvement scheme for improving bandwidth and gain performance of the low noise amplifier. In the aspect of power consumption control, technologies such as a stack structure, subthreshold bias, low voltage and the like provide a good research direction for reducing power consumption. In recent years, the design of the low noise amplifier mainly focuses on the system design and optimization in multiple technologies and manufacturing processes, and how to better combine the design technologies of the low noise amplifier for use so as to achieve a high value of the design is a main pursuit of the design of the low noise amplifier at present.

Disclosure of Invention

The invention aims to provide an ultra-wideband low-noise amplifier with an active inductor. The broadband input matching characteristic of the low-noise amplifier is realized and improved by using a source follower branch formed by an active inductor. The LC network is used to offset the influence of partial high-frequency parasitic capacitance and broaden the bandwidth of the low-noise amplifier. The NMOS transistor and the PMOS transistor are stacked, and the common-mode feedback resistor jointly forms a main amplification module, so that the gain of the low-noise amplifier is improved, and the direct-current power consumption is reduced. In addition, due to the introduction of the RC series negative feedback branch, the gain of the amplifier is further stabilized, and the working bandwidth is widened. The ultra-wideband low-noise amplifier with the active inductor can be used in systems such as LTE, BLE, RFID and 5G mobile communication receiving front-end circuits.

Therefore, the purpose of the invention is realized by the following technical scheme: an ultra-wideband low-noise amplifier with an active inductor comprises an input module, an amplifying module and a feedback branch circuit, wherein,

1. the input module is composed of NMOS transistor NM₁DC blocking capacitor C₁Capacitor C₂And an inductance L₁LC network formed, source feedback resistance R₁Bias large resistance R₃And a load resistor R₂Configured to provide broadband input matching. NM₁For source follower configuration, the input signal passes through the input blocking capacitor C₁AC coupling to NM₁And through a source terminal of C₂And L₁Configured series LC network coupled input to NM₂The gate terminal of (1). NM₁Is connected with a load R₂Connected to a power supply VDD, NM₁Source terminal of (1) through a feedback resistor R₁And (4) grounding. LC network acting to cancel part of NM₁High frequency parasitic capacitance of (1), broadening LNA bandwidth, R₃Connecting NMs₁Gate terminal and bias voltage V_bias1For being NM₁A bias voltage is provided.

2. The amplifying module is composed of an NMOS transistor NM₂PMOS transistor PM₁DC blocking capacitor C₄Bias large resistance R₆And a common mode feedback resistor R₅And (4) forming. NM₂And PM₁A stacked structure for common source amplifier configuration. C₄Separately connecting NMs₂And PM₁Such that the rf input signal through the LC is ac coupled to the gate terminals of the two stacked amplifiers. NM₂And PM₁Are directly connected to the drain terminal of R₅Connecting PM₁Gate terminal and NM₂、PM₁The common drain terminal of (a) forms a common mode feedback to provide an amplifying load. NM₂The drain terminal of the capacitor is connected with an output blocking capacitor C₅And outputting the amplified radio frequency signal. R₆Connecting NMs₂Gate terminal and bias voltage V_bias2For being NM₂A bias voltage is provided.

3. Feedback branch circuit is by electric capacity C₃And a resistance R₄Are connected in series. Across NM₂Drain terminal and NM of₁And a negative feedback branch is formed between the grid ends, so that the functions of widening the working bandwidth and stabilizing the gain are achieved.

Compared with the prior art, the invention has the following beneficial effects:

1. and the active inductor is used as an input matching branch circuit, so that ultra-wideband input matching is realized.

2. The LC network is used for counteracting the high-frequency parasitic effect caused by the active inductance branch circuit, and the working bandwidth is widened.

3. The use of stacked amplification structures provides greater gain and lower dc power consumption.

And 4, due to the introduction of the RC feedback branch, the amplification gain is stabilized, and the working bandwidth is further widened.

Drawings

In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the drawings needed to be used in the description of the embodiments are briefly introduced below, and it is obvious that the drawings in the following description are only some embodiments of the present invention, and it is obvious for those skilled in the art to obtain other drawings based on these drawings without creative efforts.

Fig. 1 is an ultra-wideband low noise amplifier with a source inductor provided by the invention.

Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of an input-output matching characteristic S parameter according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram of the amplitude-frequency response characteristic of one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating noise figure characteristics according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed Description

The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention are clearly and completely described below with reference to the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention, and it is obvious that the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. All other embodiments, which can be derived by a person skilled in the art from the embodiments of the present invention without making any creative effort, shall fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

The invention provides an ultra-wideband low-noise amplifier with an active inductor, which consists of an input module 1, an amplification module 2 and a feedback branch 3. Input module 1 consists of NMOS transistor NM₁DC blocking capacitor C₁Capacitor C₂And an inductance L₁LC network formed, source feedback resistance R₁Bias large resistance R₃And a load resistor R₂Configured to provide broadband input matching. NM₁For source follower configuration, the input signal passes through the input blocking capacitor C₁AC coupling to NM₁And through a source terminal of C₂And L₁Configured series LC network coupled input to NM₂The gate terminal of (1). NM₁Is connected with a load R₂Connected to a power supply VDD, NM₁Source terminal of (1) through a feedback resistor R₁And (4) grounding. LC network acting to cancel part of NM₁High frequency parasitic capacitance of (1), broadening LNA bandwidth, R₃Connecting NMs₁Gate terminal and bias voltage V_bias1For being NM₁A bias voltage is provided. The amplifying module 2 is composed of an NMOS transistor NM₂PMOS transistor PM₁DC blocking capacitor C₄Bias large resistance R₆And a common mode feedback resistor R₅And (4) forming. NM₂And PM₁A stacked structure for common source amplifier configuration. C₄Separately connecting NMs₂And PM₁Such that the rf input signal through the LC is ac coupled to the gate terminals of the two stacked amplifiers. NM₂And PM₁Are directly connected to the drain terminal of R₅Connecting PM₁Gate terminal and NM₂、PM₁The common drain terminal of (a) forms a common mode feedback to provide an amplifying load. NM₂The drain terminal of the capacitor is connected with an output blocking capacitor C₅And outputting the amplified radio frequency signal. R₆Connecting NMs₂Gate terminal and bias voltage V_bias2For being NM₂A bias voltage is provided. Feedback branch 3 is composed of capacitor C₃And a resistance R₄Are connected in series. Across NM₂Drain terminal and NM of₁And a negative feedback branch is formed between the grid ends, so that the functions of widening the working bandwidth and stabilizing the gain are achieved.

Fig. 2 to 4 show performance diagrams of an embodiment of the GF 130-nm RF SOI process, and it can be seen that the operating frequency band of the present invention is 0.1 to 3.4GHz, the input matching requirement (50 Ω matching, S11< -10dB) is satisfied within the operating frequency band, the gain is 18.2 to 15.2dB, and the minimum noise factor is 3.4 dB.

The above description is only for the preferred embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of the present invention is not limited thereto, and any changes or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the technical scope of the present invention are included in the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of the present invention shall be subject to the protection scope of the claims.

Claims

1. An ultra-wideband low-noise amplifier with active inductance is characterized by comprising an input module (1), an amplifying module (2) and a feedback branch circuit (3), wherein,

the input module (1) is composed of an NMOS transistor NM₁DC blocking capacitor C₁Capacitor C₂And an inductance L₁LC network formed, source feedback resistance R₁Bias large resistance R₃And a load resistor R₂Constitution, NM₁For source follower configuration, the input signal passes through the input blocking capacitor C₁AC coupling to NM₁And through a source terminal of C₂And L₁Configured series LC network coupled input to NM₂Gate terminal of (NM)₁Is connected with a load R₂Connected to a power supply VDD, NM₁Source terminal of (1) through a feedback resistor R₁Ground, R₃Connecting NMs₁Gate terminal and bias voltage V_bias1For being NM₁Providing a bias voltage; transistor NM₁Source feedback resistor R₁A source electrode following configuration consisting of a large bias resistor R3 and a load resistor R2 and a capacitor C of a feedback branch (3)₃And a resistance R₄An active inductance structure is formed together;

said input module (1) is arranged to provide broadband input matching, said active inductive structure and said LC network are arranged to cancel part of NM₁The high-frequency parasitic capacitor widens the bandwidth of the LNA, and the amplifier uses the active inductor as an input matching branch circuit to realize ultra-wideband input matching;

amplifying module(2) By NMOS transistor NM₂PMOS transistor PM₁DC blocking capacitor C₄Bias large resistance R₆And a common mode feedback resistor R₅Constitution, NM₂And PM₁Is a common source amplifier configuration, a stacked structure, C₄Separately connecting NMs₂And PM₁So that the rf input signal through the LC is ac-coupled to the gate terminals of the two stacked amplifiers, NM₂And PM₁Are directly connected to the drain terminal of R₅Connecting PM₁Gate terminal and NM₂、PM₁Forming a common mode feedback to provide an amplified load, NM₂The drain terminal of the capacitor is connected with an output blocking capacitor C₅Outputting the amplified radio frequency signal, R₆Connecting NMs₂Gate terminal and bias voltage V_bias2For being NM₂Providing a bias voltage;

the use of the stacked structure provides greater gain and lower dc power consumption;

the feedback branch (3) is composed of a capacitor C₃And a resistance R₄Formed in series, across NM₂Drain terminal and NM of₁A negative feedback branch is formed between the grid ends;

the feedback branch (3) plays a role in widening the working bandwidth and stabilizing the amplification gain.