California Eastern Laboratories

AN80901 APPLICATION NOTE

Two Stage GaAs FET LNA Bias Supply

INTRODUCTION

This regulator is recommended to bias a two stage, grounded source GaAs FET LNA with constant drain currents1. With
minor modification, two additonal bias stages could be added to this circuit.

SPECIFICATIONS

VDS = 2.8 to 3.2 volts, adjustable

ID = 8 to 20mA, adjustable

CIRCUIT DIAGRAM

+ 15V 2N3643
DUAL
_ 15V
+

POWER 330 330

SUPPLY
1
/2 A1 R2 R3
+ _ 500 (3V) 500 (3V)
_ 15V (3V)
V DS1 V DS2
100K 100K
+
10K 100K 4.7F 1
/2 A1 + +
R1 _ 4.3K 4.3K
+ 1
500 1
/2 A2 V GS1 /2 A2 V GS2
(3V) 100K _ 6.8V 3.3K _ 6.8V 3.3K

.01F .01F
2.2K 6.8V

100K 100K
5.6K

A1 and A2: 747 Dual Op-Amp

All Resistors: 1/4 Watt

CIRCUIT OPERATION

When the 15 volt power supply is turned on, integrator A1 ramps on which allows VDS and -VGS voltages to also ramp on. The
drain to source voltage (VDS) is a constant voltage, which is adjusted by the variable resistor R1. The constant drain current (ID)
is maintained by the comparator A2 and is adjusted by R2 for stage one and R3 for stage two. Nodal voltages are shown in the
circuits Of IDl = 10mA and ID2 = 20mA. The resistance values for the above conditions are R2 = 350 and R3 = 10.
AN80901

CIRCUIT BOARD AND LAYOUT

4.7 3.3K
500 26V 6.8V
5.6K .01K

100K
100K 100K
D1 D2 G1 6.8V
A1 G2
A2 2.2K 100K 4.3K
2N
1.50" 10K
3643

330

330
747
747
100K
4.3K
1 1
100K
500 500
.01
V+ V
COM 3.3K
6.8V

3.25"
Actual Size

REFERENCE
1. D. Lane, Smart Bias Supply for Delicate MW Transistors, Microwave Journal, June 1978, pp. 126-142.

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Information and data presented here is subject to change without notice.

California Eastern Laboratories assumes no responsibility for the use of
any circuits described herein and makes no representations or warranties,
expressed or implied, that such circuits are free from patent infingement.

California Eastern Laboratories 01/23/2003