2-GHz RF front-end circuits in CMOS/SIMOX operating at an extremely low voltage of 0.5 V

2-GHz RF front-end circuits [low noise amplifier (LNA), mixer, and voltage controlled oscillator (VCO)I enabling 0.5-V operation are presented, The ci rcuits were fabricated by 0.2-mum fully depleted CMOS/SIMOX technology, The mixer has an LC-tuned folded structure to avoid stacking transistors, Undo ped-channel MOSFETs are used in the VCO core and in a complementary source follower as output buffers for the mixer and the VCO. The noise figures of 3.5 dB (LNA) and 16.1 dB (mixer), IIP3 of -6 dBm (mixer), and phase noise o f -110 dBc/Hz at 1-MHz offset (VCO) are achieved at a supply voltage of 1 V , They dissipate 2 mW (LNA), 4 mW (mixer), and 3 mW (VCO) at 0.5.