A compact 5–6 GHz T/R module based on SiGe BiCMOS and SOI that enhances 256 QAM 802.11ac WLAN radio front-end designs

A compact high linearity 4.9–5.9 GHz T/R FEM is presented, which consists of a SiGe BiCMOS PA and a SOI switched LNA realized in an ultra-compact 2.3 × 2.3 × 0.33 mm3 QFN package. The Tx chain has > 30 dB gain and meets −35 dB DEVM up to 17 dBm at 3.3 V and 20 dBm at 5V, insensitive to modulation bandwidths and transmission data length up to 4 mS. With digital pre-distortion (DPD), the PA can be down-biased to save 30 mA while maintaining its linearity. The Rx chain features <2.5 dB NF and 12 dB gain with 4 dBm IIP3 and 8 dB bypass attenuator with 29 dBm IIP3. All the unique features enhance the front-end circuit designs of complex 802.11ac radios.