Stacking the Deck for Efficiency: RF- to Millimeter-Wave Stacked CMOS SOI Power Amplifiers

摘要

The emerging demand for high-capacity wireless mobile communication and the advent of the Internet of Things and fifthgeneration communication standards have motivated the development of high-performance transceivers. The power amplifier (PA) is the most critical part in the transmit path and dominates the transceiver's performance, including coverage range, data rate, spectrum compliance, and dc power dissipation. Integration capability and the relatively low cost of complementary-metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) technology, on the other hand, have propelled it into the wireless market. CMOS technology enables complete system-on-chip solutions, resulting in a simple front-end assembly process, straightforward testing, and improved reliability. Today, in addition to the baseband, including the modulator/demodulator circuit, a big portion of the RF front end of the transceiver circuit is implemented in CMOS technology.