First steps

Context & specifications

To keep a simplified approach, we will design a single ended cascode RF low noise amplifier. This will allow us to describe each step of the design flow and use most features of the softwares.

Schematic of a single ended cascode LNA

Process variables

The IHP PDK provides process control parameters for their components. The parameters can be found on the file SG13G2_os_process_spec.pdf in IHP-Open-PDK ▸ ihp-sg13g2 ▸ libs.doc ▸ doc.

Here, we retrieve the NMOS process parameters that will be useful for our design :

Lmin = 0.12um Cox = epsilon/tox = 14.35 fF.um-2 tox = 2.45 nm & epsilonr = 3.97 Cjunc = 0.95 fF.um-2