A Sandwiched-Slab-Transformer-Based SiGe Power Amplifier Operating at W- and D-Bands

In this letter, a 75.1–151.4-GHz silicon power amplifier (PA) is devised with the help of sandwiched slab transformer, which is proposed to increase the tuning ranges of coupling coefficient, quality factor, and conductivity. Being compact in size and simple in implementation enables it to be well-applied in multiple-way power combination. Based on this device, the fabricated PA in the 130-nm silicon germanium (SiGe) process demonstrates more than 14.1-dB gain at full $W$ -band and 77% of the $D$ -band. From 75 to 117.7 GHz, its measured $P_{\mathrm {sat}}$ is all above 16.8 dBm, while its peak point is 19.8 dBm at 100 GHz with 8.8% PAE.