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I am planning to design a PCB for an LNA operating at higher frequencies, and I have selected the LNA IC (MAAL-011181) for this purpose. LNA IC Datasheet

Initially, I assumed that I only needed to place the IC on the substrate and connect the input and output ports. However, the schematic provided in the datasheet includes additional components like capacitors, which I don't fully understand.

Application Schematic as per datasheet

My specific questions are:

  1. What is the purpose of the capacitors in the circuit?

  2. How should I handle impedance matching?

  3. How does the DC biasing work, and what role does the bias tee play?

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  • \$\begingroup\$ What does the datasheet tell you? \$\endgroup\$
    – MrGerber
    Commented Sep 25 at 5:10

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1)What is the purpose of the capacitors in the circuit?

The datasheet tells you that C1 and C2, suggested values of 1 uF, are needed for biassing at low frequencies. As the IC is specified down to 9 kHz, you can assume that some bias voltage dividers come out to those pins, and that signal-induced variation of the voltage will cause problems, perhaps distortion. As they say they are needed at low frequencies, it's possible that smaller values, or even none at all, might do at higher frequencies. You might do the experiment.

C3 and C4, suggested values 100 pF and 1 nF respectively, are the normal bias supply decoupling you might expect to find next to any IC.

2)How should I handle impedance matching?

The datasheet shows S11 and S22 as -15dB or better over most of the frequency range, and better than -10dB over the whole range. This means the IC is nominally matched, and you need do nothing more than aim for a nominal 50 ohms for the items you connect to it.

3)How does the DC biasing work, and what role does the bias tee play?

You need to supply some current to the output pin through an inductor. The datasheet is silent on how much current flows into the output, and how much into pin 15. Assume worst case that all the supply current must flow through the bias Tee inductor. The inductor must not load the output pin at RF.

This inductor is perhaps the most difficult component in the whole amplifier to get right. It's a bit disingenuous of the manufacturer to neglect to put in some hints to how you might provide it, especially given that they've included part numbers for the capacitors.

At its simplest, for a narrow range at high frequency, it need only be a λ/4 line. If you want to go down to 9 kHz, then you will use several inductors in series of different sizes, each damped with a shunt resistor, with perhaps a λ/4 line nearest to the line.

Several manufacturers do offer matched packaged bias inductors or complete bias Tees for particular frequency ranges, at a price, if you don't want to design your own.

The DC blocks, both on the input, and the one that completes the output bias Tee, can usually be purchased as single components for a price. Although they look like a simple capacitor, you can easily get suck-outs in the many GHz with standard capacitors if you are using a large value to get down to a low frequency. As with the inductor, it's easier with smaller bandwidths.

Your question, and the answers it attracts, would be much improved by specifying what range 'higher frequencies' means to you.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ Generous of you to take this on. There's way too little in the question. But very nice response to help out. And I learned something in reading it. So +1. \$\endgroup\$ Commented Sep 24 at 13:49
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    \$\begingroup\$ @periblepsis I have a soft spot for noobs who clearly have no idea how out of their depth they are. \$\endgroup\$
    – Neil_UK
    Commented Sep 24 at 16:55
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    \$\begingroup\$ @Alaska Good decisions come from experience. Experience usually comes from bad decisions. I am appalled at some of the bad decisions I made when a noob in various disciplines, though lack of deep advice. As a 70 year old noob in many other fields, I still wish people would answer the questions I'm not asking, because I don't realise there are questions there to be asked. One never stops being a noob, it's just that ones areas of experience and inexperience change. \$\endgroup\$
    – Neil_UK
    Commented Oct 24 at 5:33

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