RMO1B-3

60GHz and 80GHz Wide Band Power Amplifier MMICs in 90nm

CMOS Technology
Naoyuki Kurita and Hiroshi Kondoh
Central Research Laboratory, Hitachi Ltd., Kokubunji, Tokyo, 185-8601, Japan
Abstract 60GHz and 80GHz-band power amplifier
(PA) MMICs have been developed on a standard 90nm
CMOS technology for use in RF front-ends of wide-band,
low-cost communication and/or radar systems. A 60GHz
three-stage PA and a 80GHz five-stage PA, both with singleended architecture, have demonstrated saturated output
powers of 12.6dBm and 10.3dBm with linear gains of 10.0dB
and 12.2dB, respectively, the highest Psats reported to our
best knowledge, under a 1.0V power supply voltage. The PAs
were designed with systematically shifted cut-off frequencies
of individual high-pass-type matching circuits to
simultaneously achieve wide-band operations, resulting in
demonstrated 1dB-gain bandwidth of 17GHz (55GHz to
72GHz), and 19GHz (66GHz to 85GHz), respectively.
Index Terms power amplifier, CMOS, MMIC, wide
band, single-end

configurations on a 90nm standard silicon CMOS process.

Section II describes a design approach with a new
technique used for matching circuits. Section III reveals
measured RF performances of two PAs in 60GHz and
80GHz-bands.
II. PA DESIGN
A. Choice of Device Size for PA
Fig.1 shows the gate width (Wg) dependence of
maximum available gain (Gamax) or maximum stable gain
(Gms) at 60GHz and 80GHz of nMOS transistors on a
standard 90nm CMOS 1P9M process with a nominal fT of
160GHz. Points indicate de-embedded gains from device
test samples measured by using a vector network analyzer.
Solid curves show simulated results from device models
developed and later used for designing PAs, showing
reasonably good agreements with the measured data.
Large parasitic elements associated with device layouts
cause a degradation of Gamax with an increased Wg.
With a practically needed Gamax over 4dB when
considering transmission losses of matching circuits, the
largest Wg useable for a PAs output stage is, thus,
dictated by the Gamax of a device, resulting in about 300m
for 60GHz-band PA and about 150m for 80GHz-band
PA.

I. INTRODUCTION
Recent advancement of high frequency performance of
silicon-based process is enabling us to implement CMOS
MMICs into millimeter-wave applications such as
unlicensed wireless communication systems with multiGb/s data transmission rate in 60GHz-bands or automotive
radar systems in 80GHz-bands.
Power amplifiers (PA) needed for transmitter in an RF
front-end for many of these systems, however, must offer
not only required output power but also sufficiently wide
bandwidth with reasonable gain flatness. For example, the
unlicensed IEEE 802.15.3c wireless communication
system has an allocated band width of 7GHz from 59 to
66GHz in Japan and from 57 to 64GHz in North America
[10].
The use of standard CMOS devices faces a serious
challenge of achieving both required output power and
wide bandwidth simultaneously due to their low
breakdown voltages and relatively high values of
capacitances.
Although 60GHz and 77GHz-band CMOS PAs with
over 10dBm in saturation output power have been
reported in the last several years [1]-[3][8], few PAs have
been designed with particular consideration of wide-band
performance.
This paper describes an investigation of simultaneous
realization of the highest output power and wide
bandwidth by using multi-stage single-ended PA

978-1-4244-3376-6/978-1-4244-3378-0/09/$25.00 2009 IEEE

12
Gm s

Gam ax

Gamax , Gms [dB]

10

6 0GHz
8 0GHz

8
6
4
2

Model

0
10

100
W g [um]

1000

Fig. 1
Gate width (Wg) dependence of maximum available
gain (Gamax) or maximum stable gain (Gms) of a 90nm nMOS
device for a Vd of 1V at 60GHz and 80GHz.

39

2009 IEEE Radio Frequency Integrated Circuits Symposium

B. Circuit Architecture and Design Technique

achieved by staggering cut-off frequencies, f1, f2 and f3, of

high-pass filter type matching circuits, Nin , N1-2 and N2-3, to
suppress lower frequency gains, as shown by broken
curves, but under the condition of f1>f2>f3 so that the
highest gain can be sustained over an entire frequency
range for the inevitably lower gain of the last stage of the
amplifier. This technique facilitates a flat gain, as shown
by the thick solid curve in the figure, while maintaining
good output power performance over a wide frequency
range.

A circuit configuration of 60 GHz-band three-stage

single-ended PA is shown in
Fig.2, employing
individual devices with Wg of 80m, 160m and 320m
from the first to last stages. The circuit has been designed
so that gate bias voltage Vg and drain voltage Vd are
supplied to each stage independently. Vd is supplied from
shorted stubs with length of /4. Vg is biased through
series high-valued resisters, fixed at 0.8V for the
maximum fT. Despite of a standard Vd of 1.2V for this
process, we chose Vd=1.0V as our standard in the
amplifier design with consideration on reliability although
the fabricated PA is measured under three Vd conditions at
0.8V, 1.0V and 1.2V as described later.
The input, output and inter-stage matching circuits were
designed by using of MIM (Metal-Insulator-Metal)
capacitors and microstrip lines consisting of metal layers
on semi-conductive silicon substrate. The output matching
circuit was designed for maximum power output by using
loadpull simulations. The inter-stage matching circuits are
of high-pass filter type with series MIM capacitors and
AC-grounded short stubs. MIM capacitors also serve to
DC-isolate individual stages.
Vd

Vd

N in

Q1

N1-2

Q2

W1

IN

N 2-3

W2

f1

f2

Gain
[dB]

f3

Q1

Frequency
Q2
Q3

f3 f2

Vd

Power OUT
Match

Gate width: W1<W2<W3

Cut-off frequency: f1>f2>f3

Fig. 3

Q3
W3

f1

Concept chart of wide band design technique.

0

INPUT

Transmission [dB]

-2

OUTPUT

Vg

Vg

Vg

80m

Fig. 2

160m
320m
(160m2)
(80m2)
Schematic diagram of 60GHz-band PA.

-4
-6
Input stage Nin

-8
-10

Inter-stage N1-2

-12
Inter-stage N2-3

-14
-16
0

Due to insufficient gain margin or fmax of transistors of a

90nm CMOS process for millimeter-wave band amplifiers,
known techniques for wide band performance such as
negative feedback or resistive matching designs are almost
impossible to use because of an associated large gain
reduction.
A new design technique, therefore, of deliberately
shifting parameters of matching circuits has been devised
as shown in a concept chart of Fig. 3 for a three stage
amplifier in order to realize the wide band performance of
PA. In this example, the PA has devices Q1, Q2 and Q3
with its sizes (Wg) increasing from the first to last stages
(W1<W2<W3), thus with their Gamaxs and fmaxs declining
toward the output side at the same frequencies (thin solid
curves in the chart). A wide bandwidth of the PA are

20

40
60
80
Frequency [GHz]

100

Fig. 4 Transmission performances of matching circuits of

60GHz-band PA (simulated).

Fig.4 shows the transmission performances of matching

circuits designed for the three stage 60GHz-band PA. The
cut-off frequencies, defined as 1dB gain-compressed
frequency, are 70GHz, 50GHz and 38GHz, respectively
from its input to output stages.
Fig.5 shows chip microphotographs of fabricated
60GHz and 80GHz-band PAs. The die areas including
RF and DC pads are 0.8x0.8mm and 0.8x0.7mm,
respectively. The 80GHz-band PA was designed with
almost the same technique and configurations as those of
the 60GHz-band PA, except that the 80GHz PA has five

40

16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0

out

40

Vg
S 21 [dB]

Vg

Fig. 5 Microphotographs of fabricated 60GHz-band (left) and

80GHz-band (right) PA MMICs.

III. RF PERFORMANCES OF PA

50

55 60 65 70
Frequency [GHz]

16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0

75

80

Vd = 1 .2 V
1 .0 V
0 .8 V

50

A. Small Signal Performances

Frequency performances of small signal gain S21 of the
60GHz and 80GHz-band PAs are shown in Fig.6. The
60GHz-band PA has a good band-pass feature with a
center frequency of 63GHz, achieving a considerably flat
gain of 10.0dB between 60 and 70GHz, and 1dB
bandwidth of 17GHz (from 55GHz to 72GHz) under a
condition of Vg=0.8V and Vd=1.0V. The 80GHz-band PA
has a maximum S21 of 12.2dB at 78GHz at Vd=1.0V, and
also has a wide 1dB bandwidth of 19GHz from 66GHz to
85GHz.
The 60GHz-band PA has S11 of -14dB at 70GHz and S22
of -18dB at 61GHz. The 80GHz-band PA has S11=S22=12dB at 80GHz.

45

60

70
80
90
Fr equency [GHz]

100

110

Pout [dBm]

Fig. 6 Frequency performance of small signal gain S21 of

60GHz-band (upper) and 80GHz-band (lower) PA MMICs.
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
-2
-4
-6

Vd=0.8V
Vd=1.0V
Vd=1.2V

-15

B. Large Signal Performances

Pout [dBm]

Output
and
power-added
efficiency
(PAE)
performances of the 60GHz-band and 80GHz-band PAs
are shown in Fig.7. Broken curves, also plotted in the
figure, are results of harmonic-balanced simulation
performed at respective frequencies and bias points. In
condition of Vd=1.0V, the 60GHz-band PA has a
saturation output Psat of 12.6dBm, 1dB gain compression
point P1dB of 8.8dBm, and a maximum PAE of 6.9% with a
total bias current of 213mA. Psat is improved to 14.2dBm
by increasing Vd to 1.2V.
Measurement results of the 80GHz-band PA in lower
part of the figure shows good values of Psat=10.3dBm,
P1dB=7.5dBm and maximum PAE of 4.5% with a total bias
current of 176mA under a conditions of Vd=1.0V. Psat is
improved to 12.0dBm in Vd=1.2V.

22
20
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0

f = 6 0 .0 GHz

14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
-2
-4
-6
-8
-10

-10

-5
0
P in [dBm]

10
24
22
20
18
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0

f = 8 0 .0 GHz
Vd=0.8V
Vd=1.0V
Vd=1.2V

-20

-15

-10

-5
0
P in [dB m]

PAE [%]

in

V d = 1 .2 V
1 .0 V
0 .8 V

PAE [%]

out

in

S 2 1 [dB]

stages with device Wg of 20m, 40m, 80m, 160m and

160m from the first to last stages.
Vd
Vd

10

Fig. 7 Output and PAE performance of 60GHz-band (upper) and

80GHz-band (lower) PA MMICs.

41

Fig.8 shows a frequency dependence of Psat and P1dB of

the 60GHz and 80GHz-band PAs at Vd=1.0V. In case of
the 60GHz-band PA, although both values drop by
increasing frequency, the PA keeps Psat over 12dBm and
P1dB larger than 7dBm in a range of 55GHz to 65GHz. A
good wide band performance was achieved covering a
bandwidth of IEEE 802.15.3c wireless communication
system. Psat and P1dB of the 80GHz band PA have peaks at
78GHz. The PA keeps Psat over 8dBm and P1dB larger than
6dBm in a range of 70GHz to 83GHz.
Fig.9 compares the achieved Psat performance of the
amplifiers with previous publications on CMOS MMICs
over a frequency range, indicating the highest
performance to our best knowledge [1]-[9]. A broken line
in the figure indicates a theoretical frequency dependence
of Psat of -10dB/decade.
14

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The authors would like to thank Mr. Nobuhiko
Shibagaki and Mr. Yuusuke Wachi for their great support
on layout work of MMICs. This work was supported by
Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications of the
Japanese Government.

Psat
P1dB

12
Psat , P1dB [dBm]

1dB-gain bandwidths of 17GHz and 19GHz, respectively,

under 1.0V bias supplies. A wideband design technique
of systematically shifting cutoff frequencies of matching
circuits was devised to achieve the demonstrated
performance within chip sizes of 0.8x0.8mm and
0.8x0.7mm, respectively. The 60GHz-band PA is believed
to be the first CMOS PA MMIC to our best knowledge
that fully covers a bandwidth for IEEE 802.15.3c
unlicensed wireless communication systems.

REFERENCES

10

[1] T.Yao, M.Q.Gordon, K.K.W.Tang, K.H.K.Yau, M-T. Yang,

P.Schvan, and S.P.Voinigescu, Algorithmic Design of
CMOS LNA and PAs for 60-GHz Radio, IEEE J. SolidState Circuits, vol. 42, no. 5, pp. 1044-1057, May 2007.
[2] M.Tanomura, Y.Hamada, S.Kishimoto, M.Ito, N.Orihashi,
K.Maruhashi, and H.Shimawaki, TX and RX Front-Ends
for 60GHz Band in 90nm Standard Bulk CMOS, IEEE
ISSCC Dig., pp. 558-559, Feb 2008.
[3] T.Suzuki, Y.Kawano, M.Sato, T.Hirose, and K.Joshin, 60
and 77GHz Power Amplifiers in Standard 90nm CMOS,
IEEE ISSCC Dig., pp. 562-563, Feb 2008.
[4] A.V.Vasylyev, P.Weger, W. Bakalski, and W.Simburger,
17GHz 50-60mW Power Amplifiers in 0.13m Standard
CMOS, IEEE Microwave and Wireless Components
Letters, vol. 16, no. 1, pp. 37-39, Jan 2006.
[5] A.Komijani, A.Natarajan, and A.Hajimiri, A 24-GHz,
+14.5-dBm Fully Integrated Power Amplifier in 0.18-m
CMOS, IEEE J. Solid-State Circuits, vol. 40, no. 9, pp.
1901-1908, Sep 2005.
[6] A.Vasylyev, P.Weger, and W.Simburger, Ultra-broad band
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[7]
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2005.
[8] D.Chowdhury, P.Reynaert, and A.M.Niknejad, A 60GHz
1V +12.3dBm Transformer-Coupled Wideband PA in 90nm
CMOS, IEEE ISSCC Dig., pp. 560-561, Feb 2008.
[9] C.Cao, H.Xu, Y.Su, and K.K.O, An 18-GHz, 10.9-dBm
Fully-Integrated Power Amplifier with 23.5% PAE in 130nm CMOS, Proc. of ESSCIRC, pp.137-140, 2005.
[10] 802.15.3c WPAN Task Group, http://www.ieee802.org/
15/pub/TG3c.html

8
6
4
2

6 0 G Hz- ban d PA

8 0 G Hz- ban d PA

0
50

60 65 70 75 80 85 90
Fr equency [GHz]
Fig. 8 Frequency dependence of Psat and P1dB of PAs.
18

55

This work

[4]

[5]

16

Psat [dBm]

14

[7]

[8]
[2]

[6]

12
10

[9]

-10dB/decade

[1]
[3]

4
2
0
10

100

Frequency[GHz]
Fig. 9 Comparison of Psat with published CMOS PAs over a
frequency range [1]-[9].

IV. CONCLUSION
60GHz and 80GHz-band high-output power and wideband single-ended PA MMICs have been designed on a
90nm CMOS process and achieved Psats of 12.6dBm and
10.3dBm with linear gains of 10.0dB and 12.2dB over

42