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1 LNA Design

This document discusses the design of low noise amplifiers (LNAs) for radio astronomy applications. It covers several key points: 1) The first gain stage of an LNA sets the signal-to-noise ratio for all subsequent stages, so it should provide as much gain as possible while maintaining a low noise figure. 2) Filters are important to prevent strong adjacent signals from saturating the LNA and degrading the weak radio astronomy signals. Notch filters can eliminate interfering signals while minimizing loss of the desired signal bandwidth. 3) New monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) technology from Minicircuits offers both a PHEMT pre-amplifier and buffer optimized to work together

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54 views23 pages

1 LNA Design

This document discusses the design of low noise amplifiers (LNAs) for radio astronomy applications. It covers several key points: 1) The first gain stage of an LNA sets the signal-to-noise ratio for all subsequent stages, so it should provide as much gain as possible while maintaining a low noise figure. 2) Filters are important to prevent strong adjacent signals from saturating the LNA and degrading the weak radio astronomy signals. Notch filters can eliminate interfering signals while minimizing loss of the desired signal bandwidth. 3) New monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) technology from Minicircuits offers both a PHEMT pre-amplifier and buffer optimized to work together

Uploaded by

magicecstatic
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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LNA Design

Peter Wright

The Law of Signal to noise Ratio


With your First Gain Stage you set the
relationship of Wanted Signal to System
Noise for everything that comes after.
This first Gain stage should give you as
much Gain as Possible.

The Signal in General


Is the Signal Bandwidth that gets Amplified
to the Pass band 3bB Points ( Half Power )
The Amplifier amplifies every thing that it
sees !

IF!
IF An amplifier sees a very strong signal on
an adjacent channel say 10MHz away it
will go into saturation and your weak Radio
Astronomical signal will be lost . The only
solution here is to reduce what the
amplifier sees to Radio Astronomy Sources.

How do you do this


Design the feed to see nothing else (pass
band of the feed horn) Antenna design in
general (Trough , Corner Reflector)
pointing to the Sky Binkers, Side wall .
Or use a Filter
Or kill the intruder with a notch filter
( Resonant Stub)

If You win something you loose


something else !
Yes If a filter is placed in front of your gain
stage it obviously has an attenuation of your
wanted signal .
Here you can help by keeping this loss Low
Helical Filter (Neosid) Interdigital filter
Filter Silver Plated .
The angle of your filter needs to be steep !

Filter Curve

Forward Bias
If a Semiconductor Junktion is open it will
allow very weak signals to flow that
otherwise would not pass !

Negative Forward bias


The power Supply

Pre Amp !

Buffer!

A PHEMT Pre Amp

Hybrid Technology :
Negative Bias Transistor / MMIC 50 Ohm

RF Screening

http://www.schubert-gehaeuse.de

Power Supply Via Coax


The advantage of using the coax for power
is less cable and connectors .
You do not inject unwanted signal into you
gain stage
UT141 Semi Rigic Coax and SMA
Connectors

As of Yesterday the New


Technology !
PHEMT MMIC
From
Minicircuits

Both chips are optimized to be used together in a 2


stage pre amp

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