A Ka-Band CMOS Transmit/Receive Amplifier with Embedded Switch for Time-Division Duplex Applications

Area of Science:

• Electrical Engineering
• Microwave Engineering
• Integrated Circuit Design

Background:

• Time-division duplex (TDD) transceivers are crucial for millimeter-wave 5G, radar, and imaging.
• Optimizing passive loss and chip size in TDD transceivers requires co-design of switches and amplifiers.
• Existing solutions may face challenges in size and integration for high-frequency applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a novel Ka-band T/R amplifier with an embedded switch topology.
• To demonstrate a compact and efficient solution for TDD applications.
• To optimize the integration of switching and amplification functions.

Main Methods:

• Developed a Ka-band T/R amplifier using a compact two-winding transformer for integrated switching and matching.
• Implemented the design in 40 nm CMOS technology.
• Utilized a shared matching network between TX and RX amplification cores.

Main Results:

• Achieved a peak gain of 17.2 dB (TX mode) and 17.1 dB (RX mode).
• Demonstrated a wide -3 dB bandwidth of 22.6-30.2 GHz (TX) and 23.4-31.0 GHz (RX).
• The core chip area is only 0.163 mm².

Conclusions:

• The proposed Ka-band T/R amplifier offers a compact size and wideband gain.
• The embedded switch topology effectively integrates switching and amplification.
• The design is well-suited for Ka-band TDD communication, radar, and imaging systems.