Broadband amplification in CMOS technology using cascaded single-stage distributed amplifier

Abstract

Feasibility of the cascaded single-stage distributed amplifier (CSDA) for ultra broadband amplification in complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) technology is investigated. A number of unique benefits gained from the CMOS CSDA over the conventional CMOS distributed amplifier structure are highlighted along with bandwidth analysis and helpful consideration. Simulated in the standard digital 0.35 µm CMOS process with realistic parasitic models, a prototype design of a four-stage CMOS CSDA provides 21 dB power gain at 5 GHz bandwidth, better than −10 dB input/output return loss and dissipates <132 mW.