A 6-9-GHz Programmable Gain LNA with Integrated Balun in 90-nm CMOS

A low-noise amplifier (LNA) for operation over the common frequency range (6-9-GHz) allocated for Ultrawideband (UWB) communications both in USA, Europe, and Japan is presented. Implemented in a pure digital 90 nm CMOS technology, it features a 12.5 dB voltage gain over a 4.5-11-GHz 3-dB bandwidth, S11 < -8.2 dB, a noise figure of 3.9-5.1-dB, and P1dB > -6.8 dBm at a power consumption as low as 20.4 mW. The prototype includes an integrated balun for single ended to differential conversion and features a 4-step 12.7 dB programmable gain variation.