Silicon Based Millimeter Wave Circuits For W Band Applications

Historically, monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs) have been designed using III-V semiconductor technologies, such as GaAs and InP. In recent years, the number of publications reporting silicon-based millimeter-wave (mm-wave) transmitter, receivers, and transceivers has grown steadily. For mm-wave applications including gigabit/s point-to-point links (57-64 GHz), automotive radar (77-81 GHz) and imaging (94 GHz) to reach mainstream market, the cost, size and power consumption of silicon-based solution has to be significantly below what is being achieved today using compound semiconductor technology. This dissertation focuses the effort of designing and implementing silicon-based solutions through circuit- and system-level innovation for applications in the W-band frequency band (75-110GHz), in particular, 94GHz passive imaging band. A W-band front-end receiver in 65nm CMOS based entirely on slow-wave CPW (SW-CPW) with frequency tripler as the LO is designed and measured. The receiver achieves a total gain of 35-dB, -3dB-BW of 12 GHz, a NF of 9-dB, a P1-dB of -40dBm, a low power consumption of 108mW under 1.2/0.8V. This front-end receiver chipset in conjuction with an analog back-end can be used to form a radiometer. Leveraging the work done in 65nm CMOS, the first integrated 2x2 focal-plane array (FPA) for passive imaging is implemented in a 0.18um SiGe BiCMOS process (fT/fmax=200/180GHz). The FPA incorporates four Dicke-type receivers. Each receiver employs a direct-conversion architecture consisting of an on-chip slot dipole antenna, an SPDT switch, a lower noise amplifier, a single-balanced mixer, an injection-locked frequency tripler (ILFT), a zero-IF variable gain amplifier, a power detector, an active bandpass filter and a synchronous demodulator. The LO signal is generated by a shared Ka-band PLL and distributed symmetrically to four ILFTs. This work demonstrates the highest level of integration of any silicon-based systems in the 94GHz imaging band. Finally, the main design bottleneck of any wireless transceiver system, the frequency synthesizer/phase-locked loop is investigated. Two monolithically integrated W-band frequency synthesizers are presented. Implemented in a 0.18um SiGe BiCMOS, both architectures incorporate the same 30.3-33.8GHz PLL core. One synthesizer uses an injection-locked frequency tripler (ILFT) with locking range of 92.8-98.1GHz and the other employ a harmonic-based frequency tripler (HBFT) with 3-dB bandwidth of 10.5GHz from 90.9-101.4GHz, respectively. The frequency synthesizer is suitable for integration in mm-wave phased array and multi-pixel systems such as W-band radar/imaging and 120GHz Gb/s communication.

This book compiles and presents the research results from the past five years in mm-wave Silicon circuits. This area has received a great deal of interest from the research community including several university and research groups. The book covers device modeling, circuit building blocks, phased array systems, and antennas and packaging. It focuses on the techniques that uniquely take advantage of the scale and integration offered by silicon based technologies.

A description of field-theoretical methods for the design and analysis of planar waveguide structures and antennas. The principles and limitations of transit-time devices with different injection mechanisms are covered, as are aspects of fabrication and characterization. The physical properties of silicon Schottky contacts and diodes are treated in a separate chapter, while two whole chapters are devoted to silicon/germanium devices. The integration of devices in monolithic circuits is explained together with advanced technologies, such as the self-mixing oscillator operation, before concluding with sensor and system applications.

Discover the concepts, architectures, components, tools, and techniques needed to design millimeter-wave circuits for current and emerging wireless system applications. Focusing on applications in 5G, connectivity, radar, and more, leading experts in radio frequency integrated circuit (RFIC) design provide a comprehensive treatment of cutting-edge physical-layer technologies for radio frequency (RF) transceivers - specifically RF, analog, mixed-signal, and digital circuits and architectures. The full design chain is covered, from system design requirements through to building blocks, transceivers, and process technology. Gain insight into the key novelties of 5G through authoritative chapters on massive MIMO and phased arrays, and learn about the very latest technology developments, such as FinFET logic process technology for RF and millimeter-wave applications. This is an essential reading and an excellent reference for high-frequency circuit designers in both academia and industry.

Microwave and Millimeter Wave Circuits and Systems: Emerging Design, Technologies and Applications provides a wide spectrum of current trends in the design of microwave and millimeter circuits and systems. In addition, the book identifies the state-of-the art challenges in microwave and millimeter wave circuits systems design such as behavioral modeling of circuit components, software radio and digitally enhanced front-ends, new and promising technologies such as substrate-integrated-waveguide (SIW) and wearable electronic systems, and emerging applications such as tracking of moving targets using ultra-wideband radar, and new generation satellite navigation systems. Each chapter treats a selected problem and challenge within the field of Microwave and Millimeter wave circuits, and contains case studies and examples where appropriate. Key Features: Discusses modeling and design strategies for new appealing applications in the domain of microwave and millimeter wave circuits and systems Written by experts active in the Microwave and Millimeter Wave frequency range (industry and academia) Addresses modeling/design/applications both from the circuit as from the system perspective Covers the latest innovations in the respective fields Each chapter treats a selected problem and challenge within the field of Microwave and Millimeter wave circuits, and contains case studies and examples where appropriate This book serves as an excellent reference for engineers, researchers, research project managers and engineers working in R&D, professors, and post-graduates studying related courses. It will also be of interest to professionals working in product development and PhD students.

Wireless applications are embedded into many electronic products. The lower frequency bands have been allocated with various applications, but this allocation increases the concern of bandwidth congestion. V-band spectrum, from 57 GHz to 64 GHz, has great potential due to its wide available bandwidth. Recent research and commercial products have shown that, the feasibility of wireless systems in the millimeter-wave frequency band improves as technology progresses. However, the required bandwidths are still high for the silicon technology. Moreover, at millimeter-wave frequencies, many device parasitics are significant. Parasitics neglected at lower frequencies such as gate inductance and resistance may turn into major design disruptions. The intrinsic model that is heavily relied upon often becomes insignificant. Most of the time, designers have to spend tremendous amounts of time on simulation and device modeling to achieve adequate performance for V-band. Another noticeable change for the millimeter-wave circuit is the usage of passive components. The design of microstrip structures to replace traditional lumped components becomes favorable due to the size reduction of microstrip structures at millimeter-wave frequencies. To demonstrate the design methodology, a few often used transceiver circuit blocks have been designed. These blocks includes the Power Amplifier (PA), which is normally used in the transmitter chain, a Low Noise Amplifier (LNA), the first active circuit on the receiver chain, and a Voltage-Controlled Oscillator (VCO), which is used in both transmitter and receiver chains. The power amplifier was fabricated using 90 nm TSMC CMOS process. It outputs 20 dBm of saturation power and has power gain of 20.6 dBm. The Low Noise Amplifier and Voltage-Controlled Oscillator were fabricated using a 0.13 [mu]m IBM BiCMOS SiGe 8HP process. The LNA has gain of 17 dB across the 57 GHz to 64 GHz band and has noise figure of 4.5 dB. The VCO has a phase noise of -111 dBc at 1 MHz of frequency offset of 60 GHz and tuning range from 56 GHz to 65 GHz.

Infrared and Millimeter Waves, Volume 14: Millimeter Components and Techniques, Part V is concerned with millimeter-wave guided propagation and integrated circuits. In addition to millimeter-wave planar integrated circuits and subsystems, this book covers transducer configurations and integrated-circuit techniques, antenna arrays, optoelectronic devices, and tunable gyrotrons. Millimeter-wave gallium arsenide (GaAs) IMPATT diodes are also discussed. This monograph is comprised of six chapters and begins with a description of millimeter-wave integrated-circuit transducers, focusing on various designs and trade-offs and providing hardware examples. The next chapter deals with millimeter-wave planar integrated circuits based on three transmission media: microstrip lines, suspended strip lines, and fin lines. Various transmission media and substrates are first considered, followed by design considerations and performances of several integrated-circuit components, including mixers, IMPATT oscillators, frequency multipliers, switches, filters, couplers, and ferrite devices. A few selected subsystems are also discussed. The following chapters look at planar millimeter-wave antenna arrays; optoelectronic devices for millimeter waves; and the state of the art in GaAs IMPATT diode technology for both cw and pulsed modes of operation. The final chapter is devoted to the gyrotron or electron cyclotron resonance maser. This text will be a useful resource for physicists and electronics and electrical engineers.

This book tackles the challenges of designing mm-wave circuits in 16nm FinFET, from the elementary transistor level to a measured D-band transmitter. The design of crucial building blocks such as oscillators and power amplifiers are covered through theoretical limitations, design methodology and measurement. Offers first book on design of mm-wave circuits above 100GHz in an advanced 16nm FinFET digital technology; Covers fundamentals of transistor layout, circuit implementation and measurements; Provides single-source reference to information otherwise only available in disparate literature.

This book explains one of the hottest topics in wireless and electronic devices community, namely the wireless communication at mmWave frequencies, especially at the 60 GHz ISM band. It provides the reader with knowledge and techniques for mmWave antenna design, evaluation, antenna and chip packaging. Addresses practical engineering issues such as RF material evaluation and selection, antenna and packaging requirements, manufacturing tolerances, antenna and system interconnections, and antenna One of the first books to discuss the emerging research and application areas, particularly chip packages with integrated antennas, wafer scale mmWave phased arrays and imaging Contains a good number of case studies to aid understanding Provides the antenna and packaging technologies for the latest and emerging applications with the emphases on antenna integrations for practical applications such as wireless USB, wireless video, phase array, automobile collision avoidance radar, and imaging

Design and Modeling of Millimeter-wave CMOS Circuits for Wireless Transceivers describes in detail some of the interesting developments in CMOS millimetre-wave circuit design. This includes the re-emergence of the slow-wave technique used on passive devices, the license-free 60GHz band circuit blocks and a 76GHz voltage-controlled oscillator suitable for vehicular radar applications. All circuit solutions described are suitable for digital CMOS technology. Digital CMOS technology developments driven by Moore’s law make it an inevitable solution for low cost and high volume products in the marketplace. Explosion of the consumer wireless applications further makes this subject a hot topic of the day. The book begins with a brief history of millimetre-wave research and how the silicon transistor is born. Originally meant for different purposes, the two technologies converged and found its way into advanced chip designs. The second part of the book describes the most important passive devices used in millimetre-wave CMOS circuits. Part three uses these passive devices and builds circuit blocks for the wireless transceiver. The book completes with a comprehensive list of references for further readings. Design and Modeling of Millimeter-wave CMOS Circuits for Wireless Transceivers is useful to show the analogue IC designer the issues involved in making the leap to millimetre-wave circuit designs. The graduate student and researcher can also use it as a starting point to understand the subject or proceed to innovative from the works described herein.