A fully on-chip ESD protection UWB-band low noise amplifier using GaAs enhancement-mode dual-gate pHEMT technology

This paper presents the development of a novel ESD protected wideband low noise amplifier (LNA) using enhancement-mode (E-mode) pHEMT dual-gate clamps. The proposed novel clamp possesses a low on-state resistance, uniform parasitic capacitance, and flexibility to adjust the trigger voltage for different ESD applications. Implementation of the LNA demonstrates that RF performance can be maintained after human body mode (HBM) ESD test while at the same time endure more than +2.5 kV and −2 kV HBM ESD stress voltage. In addition, the incorporated clamps use a fewer number of diodes than the conventional diode stacks, thereby making it size efficient and low effort impedance matching co-design which allow this approach to be an attractive solution for ESD protection.

► We present a novel ESD protected wideband LNA using E-mode pHEMT dual-gate clamps.
► This clamp achieved a low on-state resistance and uniform parasitic capacitance.
► This clamp achieved a HBM ESD test more than +2.5 kV and −2 kV HBM ESD voltage.
► The incorporated clamps use the fewer diodes than the conventional diode stacks.