The minimum noise figure and mechanism as scaling RF MOSFETs from 0.18 to 0.13 μm technology nodes

Abstract

As scaling down the RF MOSFET from 0.18 to 0.13 /spl mu/m technology nodes, the f/sub T/ increases but the NF/sub min/ becomes worse by increasing /spl sim/0.2 dB. A small NF/sub min/ of 0.93 dB is measured at 5.8 GHz in 0.18 /spl mu/m MOSFET using 50 fingers but increases as either increasing or decreasing finger number. This abnormal dependence and higher noise at 0.13 /spl mu/m is accurately analyzed by equivalent circuit model and due to the combined gate resistance and substrate effect.