Low noise amplifiers for low-power impulse radio ultra-wideband receivers

A low noise amplifier including at least one circuit branch, a first circuit branch comprising at least first and second amplifying elements coupled to cooperate in amplifying an input signal, and switching means to switch on and off the amplifier, characterized in that the first amplifying element has an input node to receive said input signal, and wherein said switching means are only coupled to the second amplifying element to switch on and off the amplifier by acting on said second amplifying element,

• wherein the first amplifying element is a common source transistor and the second amplifying element is a common gate transistor, wherein the source of the common gate transistor is connected to the drain of common source transistor so that both transistors are coupled in a cascode configuration,
• wherein the input node is coupled to the gate of the common source transistor through an inductive impedance, which is selected at least in part to match an input impedance.

A low noise amplifier including at least one circuit branch, a first circuit branch comprising at least first and second amplifying elements coupled to cooperate in amplifying an input signal, and switching means to switch on and off the amplifier, characterized in that the first amplifying element has an input node to receive said input signal, and wherein said switching means are only coupled to the second amplifying element to switch on and off the amplifier by acting on said second amplifying element,

• wherein the switching means comprise a pMOS transistor and an nMOS transistor, and wherein the drains of said transistors are coupled together to the gate of a common source transistor of the second amplifying element, and the gates of said transistors are connected together to a control node, the source of the pMOS transistor being connected to a DC power supply, and the source of the nMOS transistor being connected to ground.

A low noise amplifier including at least one circuit branch, a first circuit branch comprising at least first and second amplifying elements coupled to cooperate in amplifying an input signal, and switching means to switch on and off the amplifier, characterized in that the first amplifying element has an input node to receive said input signal, and wherein said switching means are only coupled to the second amplifying element to switch on and off the amplifier by acting on said second amplifying element,

• wherein the switching means comprises a pMOS transistor and an nMOS transistor, and wherein the drains of said transistors are connected together to the gate of a common gate transistor of the second amplifying element, and the gates are connected together to a control node, the source of the pMOS transistor being connected to a DC power supply, and the source of the nMOS transistor being connected to ground.

A method of amplifying a radio frequency signal using a plurality of amplifying elements coupled to cooperate in amplifying said radio-frequency signal, comprising the steps of receiving a radio frequency signal pulse frame and inputting the received signal to an amplification element, and switching ON the amplifier only during a time window substantially similar to the duration of said pulse frame, characterised in that the signal pulse frame is applied to a first amplifying element, and the amplifier is switched on and off by acting on a second amplifying element coupled to said first amplifying element,

• wherein the first amplifying element is a common gate transistor and the second amplifying element is a common source transistor, wherein the signal at the drain of the common gate transistor is applied to the gate of the common source transistor.

A method of amplifying a radio frequency signal using a plurality of amplifying elements coupled to cooperate in amplifying said radio-frequency signal, comprising the steps of receiving a radio frequency signal pulse frame and inputting the received signal to an amplification element, and switching ON the amplifier only during a time window substantially similar to the duration of said pulse frame, characterised in that the signal pulse frame is applied to a first amplifying element, and the amplifier is switched on and off by acting on a second amplifying element coupled to said first amplifying element,

• wherein the first amplifying element is a common source transistor and the second amplifying element is a common gate transistor coupled in a cascode configuration.