A 13-GHz Single Chip Front-End Module with 42% TX PAE and 2.2-dB RX Noise Figure in 0.15-µm E/D-Mode GaAs pHEMT Technology for 6G Wireless Communications

This paper presents a novel single-chip RF front-end module (FEM) designed using a 0.15-µm GaAs E/D-mode pHEMT process for 6G upper mid-band applications. The integration of both enhancement-mode (E-mode) and depletion-mode (D-mode) pHEMTs on a single die enables the design to leverage the complementary strengths of these device types. The E-mode pHEMT, with its high gain and low loss, is utilized in the low-noise amplifier (LNA) and the TX/RX SPDT switch, ensuring minimal insertion loss and enhanced noise performance. The D-mode pHEMT, characterized by low gate leakage and high linearity, is employed in the power amplifier (PA) to maximize output power and efficiency. At the design center frequency of 13 GHz, in TX mode, the FEM achieves a gain of 16.9 dB, a Psat of 27.4 dBm, and a PAE of 42%. In RX mode, the FEM achieves a noise figure (NF) of 2.4 dB and a gain of 16.9 dB.