Ap pl ica t io n N o te, Re v. 1 . 2, F e br ua ry 2 00 8
A p p li c a t i o n N o t e N o . 1 4 2
L o w C o s t , L o w C u r r e n t B r o a d ba n d U H F L o w N o i s e
A m p l i f i e r w i t h t he E S D - H a r de n e d B F P 54 0 E S D R F
T r a n s i s t o r d r aw s 3 m A
R F & P r o t e c ti o n D e v i c e s
Edition 2008-02-15
Published by
Infineon Technologies AG
81726 München, Germany
© Infineon Technologies AG 2009.
All Rights Reserved.
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Application Note No. 142
Application Note No. 142
Revision History: 2008-02-15, Rev. 1.2
Previous Version: 2006-03-07, Rev. 1.1
Page
Subjects (major changes since last revision)
All
Small changes in figure descriptions
Application Note
3
Rev. 1.2, 2008-02-15
Application Note No. 142
Low Cost, Low Current Broadband UHF Low Noise Amplifier with the ESD-
1
Low Cost, Low Current Broadband UHF Low Noise Amplifier with
the ESD-Hardened BFP540ESD RF Transistor draws 3 mA
Applications
•
External LNA for 315 / 434 MHz extended-range automotive Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) / Tire Pressure
Monitoring System (TPMS) receivers, 900 MHz ISM band, 345 MHz Wireless Security Systems, 390 MHz
garage door opener receivers, 288 - 418 MHz HomeLink™ Wireless products.
Overview
The ESD-hardened BFP540ESD RF Transistor, capable of sustaining 1000 V Electro Static Discharge (ESD)
pulses per the Human Body Model (HBM) is unique in terms of combining high RF performance with ESDrobustness:
•
•
•
Transit frequency fT = 34 GHz
Maximum Stable Gain MSG of 21 dB @ 1.8 GHz
Minimum Noise Figure Fmin = 0.9 dB @ 1.8 GHz
Features
•
•
•
•
•
Low current: 3.3 mA @ 5 V; 3 V operation possible with resistor value change
Low Noise Figure: 1.5 dB Noise figure at 315 / 434 MHz
Gain: 14.6 dB @ 315 MHz
Low cost design on 2-layer FR4 PCB material with no chip coils; total parts count = 10; PCB area ≈ 50 mm²
Unconditionally Stable: K>1, B1>0 from 5 MHz to 6 GHz
BFP540ESD is shown in a low cost, low current (3 mA) broadband resistive-feedback UHF LNA. The amplifier
runs from a 5 V supply, but could use 3 V with simple resistor value changes. Broadband design permits use of
the LNA from < 100 MHz to > 1 GHz with no component changes required, and the good input / output match over
this entire frequency range eases integration with other system blocks, e.g. bandpass filters. Only resistors and
capacitors are required (0402 case size). PCB area 50 ≈ mm². Please refer to schematic diagram (Figure 2). A
PCB originally designed for the smaller TSFP-4 package was employed for this demo; so the larger SOT343
package used by the BFP540ESD was made to fit the PCB footprint as well as possible.
Summary of Results
T = 25 °C, network analyzer source power = -30 dBm, VCC = 5.0 V, I = 3.3 mA, z = 50 Ω
Table 1
Summary of Results
Frequency
MHz
dB[s11]² dB[s21]² dB[s12]² dB[s22]² NF*
dB
IIP3
OIP3
IP1dB
OP1dB
dBm
dBm
dBm
dBm
105
11.2
15.0
21.0
15.2
1.5
---
---
---
---
315
11.2
14.6
21.1
14.5
1.5
-13.2
+1.5
-21.5
-7.9
390
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
---
434
11.4
14.2
21.3
13.8
1.5
---
---
---
---
915
11.9
12.1
21.4
11.8
1.6
---
---
-19.6
-8.5
* Note that PCB loss is not extracted. If PCB loss were extracted, NF would be 0.1 to 0.2 dB lower.
Application Note
4
Rev. 1.2, 2008-02-15
Application Note No. 142
Low Cost, Low Current Broadband UHF Low Noise Amplifier with the ESDPCB Cross Sectional Diagram
Note standard low-cost FR4 material is used
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Figure 1
PCB - Cross Sectional Diagram
Schematic Diagram
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Figure 2
Schematic Diagram
Application Note
5
Rev. 1.2, 2008-02-15
Application Note No. 142
Low Cost, Low Current Broadband UHF Low Noise Amplifier with the ESDNoise Figure, Plot, 100 MHz to 950 MHz, Center of Plot (x-axis) is 525 MHz.
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Figure 3
Noise Figure
Application Note
6
Rev. 1.2, 2008-02-15
Application Note No. 142
Low Cost, Low Current Broadband UHF Low Noise Amplifier with the ESDNoise Figure, Tabular Data
From Rohde & Schwarz FSEM30 + FSEK3
Preamplifier = MITEQ SMC-02
Table 2
Noise Figure
Frequency
Noise Figure
100 MHz
1.48 dB
125 MHz
1.46 dB
150 MHz
1.42 dB
175 MHz
1.37 dB
200 MHz
1.43 dB
225 MHz
1.45 dB
250 MHz
1.46 dB
275 MHz
1.47 dB
300 MHz
1.48 dB
325 MHz
1.49 dB
350 MHz
1.46 dB
375 MHz
1.50 dB
400 MHz
1.47 dB
425 MHz
1.48 dB
450 MHz
1.48 dB
475 MHz
1.50 dB
500 MHz
1.52 dB
525 MHz
1.53 dB
550 MHz
1.52 dB
575 MHz
1.50 dB
600 MHz
1.53 dB
625 MHz
1.52 dB
650 MHz
1.52 dB
675 MHz
1.53 dB
700 MHz
1.51 dB
725 MHz
1.53 dB
750 MHz
1.54 dB
775 MHz
1.53 dB
800 MHz
1.55 dB
825 MHz
1.55 dB
850 MHz
1.57 dB
875 MHz
1.59 dB
900 MHz
1.58 dB
925 MHz
1.63 dB
950 MHz
1.62 dB
Application Note
7
Rev. 1.2, 2008-02-15
Application Note No. 142
Low Cost, Low Current Broadband UHF Low Noise Amplifier with the ESDScanned Image of PC Board
Figure 4
Image of PC Board
Application Note
8
Rev. 1.2, 2008-02-15
Application Note No. 142
Low Cost, Low Current Broadband UHF Low Noise Amplifier with the ESDScanned Image of PC Board, Close-In Shot.
Note BFP540ESD in SOT343 package is kloodged into PCB footprint originally designed for smaller TSFP-4
package.
Figure 5
Image of PC Board, Close-In Shot
Application Note
9
Rev. 1.2, 2008-02-15
Application Note No. 142
Low Cost, Low Current Broadband UHF Low Noise Amplifier with the ESDGain Compression Test, 315 MHz
Amplifier is checked for 1 dB compression point at VCC = 5.0 V, IC = 3.3 mA, T = 25 °C). An Agilent power meter
was used to ensure accurate power levels are measured (as opposed to using Vector Network Analyzer in "Power
Sweep" mode).
Input P1dB ≅ -21.5 dBm; Output P1dB = -21.5 dBm + (Gain - 1 dB) = -21.5 dBm + 13.6 dB = -7.9 dBm
Table 3
Gain Compression at 315 MHz
POUT, dBm
Gain, dB
-33
14.6
-32
14.6
-31
14.6
-30
14.6
-29
14.5
-28
14.5
-27
14.4
-26
14.3
-25
14.2
-24
14.1
-23
13.9
-22
13.7
-21
13.5
-20
13.2
-19
12.9
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Figure 6
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Plot of gain compression @ 315 MHz, 5 V, 3.3 mA, 25 °C
Application Note
10
Rev. 1.2, 2008-02-15
Application Note No. 142
Low Cost, Low Current Broadband UHF Low Noise Amplifier with the ESDGain Compression Test, 915 MHz
Amplifier is checked for 1 dB compression point at VCC = 5.0 V, IC = 3.3 mA, T = 25 °C). An Agilent power meter
was used to ensure accurate power levels are measured (as opposed to using Vector Network Analyzer in "Power
Sweep" mode).
Input P1dB ≅ -19.6 dBm; Output P1dB = -19.6 dBm + (Gain - 1 dB) = -19.6 dBm + 11.1 dB = -8.5 dBm
Table 4
Gain Compression at 915 MHz
POUT, dBm
Gain, dB
-33
12.1
-32
12.1
-31
12.1
-30
12.1
-29
12.0
-28
12.0
-27
12.0
-26
11.9
-25
11.9
-24
11.8
-23
11.7
-22
11.6
-21
11.4
-20
11.2
-19
10.9
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Figure 7
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Plot of gain compression @ 915 MHz, 5 V, 3.3 mA, 25 °C
Application Note
11
Rev. 1.2, 2008-02-15
Application Note No. 142
Low Cost, Low Current Broadband UHF Low Noise Amplifier with the ESDInput Return Loss, Log Mag
5 MHz - 8 GHz
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Figure 8
Plot of Input Return Loss
Application Note
12
Rev. 1.2, 2008-02-15
Application Note No. 142
Low Cost, Low Current Broadband UHF Low Noise Amplifier with the ESDInput Return Loss, Smith Chart
Reference Plane = Input SMA RF Connector
5 MHz - 8 GHz
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Figure 9
Smith Chart of Input Return Loss
Application Note
13
Rev. 1.2, 2008-02-15
Application Note No. 142
Low Cost, Low Current Broadband UHF Low Noise Amplifier with the ESDForward Gain, Wide Sweep
5 MHz - 8 GHz
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Figure 10
Plot of Forward Gain
Application Note
14
Rev. 1.2, 2008-02-15
Application Note No. 142
Low Cost, Low Current Broadband UHF Low Noise Amplifier with the ESDReverse Isolation
5 MHz - 8 GHz
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Figure 11
Plot of Reverse Isolation
Application Note
15
Rev. 1.2, 2008-02-15
Application Note No. 142
Low Cost, Low Current Broadband UHF Low Noise Amplifier with the ESDOutput Return Loss, Log Mag
5 MHz - 8 GHz
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Figure 12
Plot of Output Return Loss
Application Note
16
Rev. 1.2, 2008-02-15
Application Note No. 142
Low Cost, Low Current Broadband UHF Low Noise Amplifier with the ESDOutput Return Loss, Smith Chart
Reference Plane = Output SMA RF Connector
5 MHz - 8 GHz
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Figure 13
Smith Chart of Output Return Loss
Application Note
17
Rev. 1.2, 2008-02-15
Application Note No. 142
Low Cost, Low Current Broadband UHF Low Noise Amplifier with the ESDThird Order Intercept Measurement
Input Stimulus for Amplifier Two-Tone Test:
f1 = 314 MHz, f2 = 315 MHz, -33 dBm each tone.
(Absolute power level is verified with Agilent Power Meter, not spectrum analyzer)
LNA response to two-tone test (below).
Input IP3 = -33 + (39.7 / 2) = -13.2 dBm
Output IP3 = -13.2 dBm + 14.6 dB gain = +1.5 dBm
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Figure 14
Tow-Tone Test, LNA Response
Application Note
18
Rev. 1.2, 2008-02-15