A Highly Linear 0.02–2 GHz RLC Feedback LNA MMIC with 1.3 dB NF in 0.25 μm GaN HEMT Technology for GPR

This paper presents a broadband, highly linear, gain-compensated GaN low-noise amplifier (LNA) for Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) applications. The LNA, based on RLC feedback approach, was designed to work from 20[Formula: see text]MHz to 2[Formula: see text]GHz. Due to the need for high-power robustness in practical GPR scenarios, the LNA is designed with a 0.25[Formula: see text] [Formula: see text]m GaN HEMT technology, which has high bandgap energy and breakdown voltage. Common source topology with RLC feedback is utilized to achieve broadband gain flatness with [Formula: see text]0.5[Formula: see text]dB variation. Self-bias topology with a single supply voltage is chosen to eliminate extra gate bias circuitry. Post-layout simulations were performed including device, package and routing parasitics. The LNA achieves less than 1.3[Formula: see text]dB NF with a 16[Formula: see text]dB power gain. Input [Formula: see text] and output [Formula: see text] return losses are below [Formula: see text]10[Formula: see text]dB. OP[Formula: see text] and OIP3 are better than [Formula: see text]27[Formula: see text]dBm and [Formula: see text]40[Formula: see text]dBm within the bandwidth, respectively. Total power dissipation is approximately 1.9[Formula: see text]W from a 12[Formula: see text]V supply.