A 2-stage, 140-GHz Class-B Power Amplifier Achieving 22.5% PAE at 17.3 dBm in a 250-nm InP HBT Technology

We demonstrate a 140-GHz class-B power amplifier (PA) in a 250-nm Indium Phosphide (InP) technology achieving saturated output power of 173 dBm with power-added efficiency (PAE) of 22.5%. This two-stage PA design offers more than 10-dB gain using a pseudo-differential topology with base degenerated common-base transistor cells. The power combining and impedance matching are performed with an electrically-short coupled-line balun to provide low impedance at all harmonics.