6G communications through sub-Terahertz CMOS power amplifiers: Design challenges and trends

Abstract: The fifth-generation (5G) network faces limitations in supporting emerging applications, such as AI, virtual reality (VR) and digital twins. To overcome these confines, sub-Terahertz (sub-THz) and Terahertz (THz) technologies are considered to be key enablers of effective 6G wireless communications, offering higher transmission speeds, longer range and wider bandwidth. Achieving these capabilities requires careful engineering of 6G transceivers, with a focus on efficient power amplifiers (PAs) in the front-end, which play a critical role in effectively amplifying and transmitting signals over long distances. Complimentary metal-oxidesemiconductor (CMOS) technology-based PA in sub-THz suffers severe parasitic and limited maximum frequency, however, this has eventually been solved by different design architectures and scaling down of CMOS technology to break through the frequency limitations. In this article, we reviewed the potentials and capabilities of CMOS technology for designing 6G hardware, identified the state-of-art PA designs in the sub-THz band and then examined as well as compared the designs to identify the suitable design strategies for better performance. The circuit optimisation techniques, such as coupled-line, passive gain boosting method, zero-degree power splitting, load-pull matching, diode and capacitor linearisation for better gain, saturated output power and power added efficiency, are considered for the PA design architectures at different sub-THz bands. Furthermore, these methods are summarised and discussed with their advantages and disadvantages in lieu with their performances. The PA design trends, challenges and future perspectives are also presented and discussed. Therefore, this comprehensive review article will serve as a comparative study and reference for future PA designs for radio frequency integrated circuits (RFIC).