An 8–12.2GHz CMOS Low-Noise Amplifier with Partially Tail-Coupled Transformer and Large-Transistor Achieving 1.8dB Average NF

This paper presents an 8–12.2 GHz low-noise amplifier (LNA) featuring a partially tail-coupled transformer and a large-transistor design to enhance noise and gain performance. The proposed partially tail-coupled transformer and large-transistor technique provides wideband input matching and a low noise figure (NF) without requiring a gate-series inductor, simplifying the design and minimizing noise degradation. To validate the design, a two-stage LNA was implemented using 65-nm bulk complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) technology. Measurements show a peak gain of 28.5 dB and an average gain of 27.1 dB, along with a 3-dB bandwidth of 8–12.2 GHz, and a minimum NF of 1.61 dB with an average NF of 1.8 dB across the band. The LNA achieves an IP1dB of -28.2 dBm, IIP₃ of -19 dBm at 12 GHz, dissipates 22 mW from a 1 V supply, and occupies a compact core area of 0.187 mm².