Patent ID: 8031005

Claim:
An apparatus for amplifying a signal supporting a plurality of gain modes, comprising: a first gain path comprising first input transistors coupled to first cascode transistors, where the sources of the first input transistors are coupled to degeneration inductors; and a second gain path comprising second input transistors coupled to second cascode transistors, where the sources of the second input transistors are coupled to radio-frequency (RF) ground, the gates of the second cascode transistors are coupled to a low bias voltage in a high-linearity gain mode and to a high bias voltage in a low-noise gain mode, the outputs of the first cascode transistors are coupled to the outputs of the second cascode transistors, and the gates of the first input transistors are coupled to a low-noise voltage bias in the low-noise gain mode, and to a high-linearity voltage bias in the high-linearity gain mode.