A 60GHz class-E tuned power amplifier with PAE >25% in 32nm SOI CMOS

A Class-E tuned CMOS power amplifier (PA) operating in the 60 GHz band is presented. Design, layout, and parasitic modeling considerations to attain high-efficiency millimeter-wave PA operation are discussed. Both single-ended and differential versions of the single-stage PA are implemented in a 32nm SOI CMOS process. Peak power added efficiency of 27% (30%), power gain of 8.8dB (10dB), and saturated output power >9dBm (12.5dBm) are measured at 60GHz from the single-ended (differential) PA with 0.9V supply. © 2012 IEEE.