This letter presents a 39-GHz phase-inverting variable gain power amplifier (VGPA) for 5G communication. Adopting a Gilbert structure-based variable gain amplifier (VGA) stage, the VGPA realized the dB-linear gain control characteristic as well as 180° phase inversion. At 0°/180° phase states, the 39-GHz VGPA achieves the maximum gain of 38.7/38.9 dB with gain tuning range of 5.6/5.2 dB, respectively. Over 38–43 GHz, the phase inversion error is limited within 5.9°, and the rms phase error is less than 3.6°/2.2°. Meanwhile, with the metal interleaving coplanar transformer matching network, this VGPA achieves 17.7/17.6-dBm Psat and 13.2/13.36-dBm OP1 dB, with the power added efficiency (PAE) of 35%/34.5% and 13.6%/14.4% at the saturation and 1-dB compression points, respectively. Over the gain control states, the OP1 dB fluctuation is less than 0.3 dB. Implemented in a 65-nm CMOS process, the proposed VGPA consumes 150 mW with a chip area of 0.3 mm2.

中文翻译：

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适用于 5G 通信、采用 65 nm CMOS 的 39GHz 反相可变增益功率放大器


这封信介绍了一款用于 5G 通信的 39GHz 反相可变增益功率放大器 (VGPA)。 VGPA采用基于吉尔伯特结构的可变增益放大器(VGA)级，实现了dB线性增益控制特性以及180°相位反转。在 0°/180° 相位状态下，39GHz VGPA 的最大增益分别为 38.7/38.9dB，增益调谐范围分别为 5.6/5.2dB。在38-43 GHz范围内，相位反转误差限制在5.9°以内，均方根相位误差小于3.6°/2.2°。同时，借助金属交错共面变压器匹配网络，该VGPA可实现17.7/17.6-dBm Psat和13.2/13.36-dBm OP1 dB，功率附加效率(PAE)分别为35%/34.5%和13.6%/14.4%。分别为饱和点和 1 dB 压缩点。在增益控制状态下，OP1 dB 波动小于 0.3 dB。所提出的 VGPA 采用 65 nm CMOS 工艺实现，功耗为 150 mW，芯片面积为 0.3 mm2。