• Journal of the Institute of Electronics Engineers of Korea TC
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• v.46 no.12
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• pp.6-13
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• 2009

For X-band phased array systems, a power amplifier, a 6-bit phase shifter, a 6-bit digital attenuator, and a SPDT transmit/receive (T/R) switch are fabricated and measured. All circuits are demonstrated by using CMOS 0.18 um technology. The power amplifier has 2-stage differential and cascade structures. It provides 1-dB gain-compressed output power ($P_{1dB}$) of 20 dBm and power-added-efficiency (PAE) of 19 % at 8-11 GHz frequencies. The 6-bit phase shifter utilizes embedded switched filter structure which consists of nMOS transistors as a switch and meandered microstrip lines for desired inductances. It has $360^{\circ}$ phase-control range and $5.6^{\circ}$ phase resolution. At 8-11 GHz frequencies, it has RMS phase and amplitude errors are below $5^{\circ}$ and 0.8 dB, and insertion loss of $-15.7\;{\pm}\;1,1\;dB$. The 6-bit digital attenuator is comprised of embedded switched Pi-and T-type attenuators resistive networks and nMOS switches and employes compensation circuits for low insertion phase variation. It has max. attenuation of 31.5 dB and 0.5 dB amplitude resolution. Its RMS amplitude and phase errors are below 0.4 dB and $2^{\circ}$ at 8-11 GHz frequencies, and insertion loss is $-10.5\;{\pm}\;0.8\;dB$. The SPDT T/R switch has series and shunt transistor pairs on transmit and receive path, and only one inductance to reduce chip area. It shows insertion loss of -1.5 dB, return loss below -15 dB, and isolation about -30 dB. The fabricated chip areas are $1.28\;mm^2$, $1.9mm^2$, $0.34\;mm^2$, $0.02mm^2$, respectively.