Chryssoula Kyriazidou

20.2 A 16TX/16RX 60GHz 802.11ad chipset with single coaxial interface and polarization diversity

The IEEE 802.11ad standard supports PHY rates up to 6.7 Gbps on four 2 GHz-wide channels from 57 to 64 GHz. A 60 GHz system offers higher throughput than existing 802.11ac solutions but has several challenges for high-volume production including: integration in the host platform, automated test, and high link loss due to blockage and polarization mismatch. This paper presents a 802.11ad radio chipset capable of SC and OFDM modulation using a 16TX-16RX beamforming RF front-end, complete with an antenna array that supports polarization diversity. To aid low-cost integration in PC platforms, a single coaxial cable interface is used between chips. The chipset is capable of maintaining a link of 4.6 Gbps (PHY rate) at 10 m.

Space-Frequency Projection of Planar AMCs on Integrated Antennas for 60 GHz Radios

We present planar low-profile designs of an artificial magnetic conductor (AMC) appropriate for integration of planar antennas into small form-factor devices for wireless communications applications. These novel AMC designs have a single metallization layer with no vias, and the whole system is suitable for inexpensive on-package integration for 60-GHz radio transceivers. They allow simultaneously for projecting the AMC behavior directly on the antenna metallization layer, while eliminating surface waves and obeying package design rules. We also project on the frequency band where the integrated antenna presents good impedance matching and maximum radiation gain. The integrated antenna-AMC design presented has large bandwidth, small form factor suitable for on-package integration, and 6 dBi gain for single elements making it ideal for small directive on-package arrays for 60 GHz radio applications.

On the Projection of Curved AMC Reflectors From Physically Planar Surfaces

We develop a new class of planar low-profile artificial magnetic conductors (AMC) that act as curved magnetic mirrors, i.e., they project the AMC functionality on a curved surface, even though they are geometrically flat. We show that these curved AMCs, despite their thin profile, focus electromagnetic waves similarly to curved metallic reflectors, while, as magnetic mirrors, having a focal region extremely close to their textured surface. An appropriately designed dipole antenna integrated in the focal region of such a curved AMC shows superdirectivity commensurate with a physically curved metallic reflector surrounding the corresponding dipole. These curved AMCs are ideal for new low-profile high-directivity antennas, integrable within standard packaging technologies. We focus our analysis on curved AMCs integrated with dipole antennas embedded on a multi-layer packaging technology for the 60-GHz technology platform. However, the approach is quite general and scalable in frequency. We base our analysis on unit cells composed of metallic spirals, but our approach holds for any other AMC unit cell design. As an application, two packaged 300 μm-thick 60-GHz systems are designed occupying quite small areas, 4.6×3.2 mm2 and 4.7×4.5 mm2 respectively and obeying typical packaging technology layout rules. The corresponding antenna elements have gains, including return loss, of more than 9 and 10 dBi, respectively. Prototypes have been fabricated and measured indicating excellent agreement with theoretical expectations. Impedance bandwidths are 13-15 GHz, making this technology ideal for broadband, high-directivity 60 GHz radio applications.

Planar spiral AMCs integrated on 60 GHz antennas

We present a low-profile design of a planar artificial magnetic conductor (AMC) based on spiral unit cells integrated on dipole antennas. The whole system is designed and manufactured on a multi-layer packaging technology suitable for single-chip 60-GHz radio transceivers. The design projects the AMC functionality on the antenna metallization package layer subject to fixed package design rules. The integrated antenna- AMC design presented has measured impedance bandwidth much greater than necessary to cover all international 60-GHz radio bands, small form factor suitable for on-package integration, and 5 dBi gain for single elements making it ideal for small directive on-package arrays for 60 GHz radio applications.

3D package-integrated artificial magnetic conductor antenna arrays for 60 GHz transceivers

Abstract We present a low-profile design of dipole antenna arrays integrated on a planar artificial magnetic conductor (AMC) based on spiral unit cells. The whole system is designed and manufactured on a multi-layer organic laminate packaging technology and can be integrated with a single-chip 60-GHz radio transceiver die. We analyze two fabricated arrays of different total area both of which contain 16 elements fed through a combiner network exciting the array elements either in phase or for 45° scan angle. The integrated antenna-AMC array element presented has twice the impedance bandwidth necessary to cover all international 60-GHz radio bands, small form factor suitable for on-package integration, and 5 dBi gain including all losses. The larger 16-element array, occupying 11 × 11 mm2 package area, has a measured gain of 17 dBi at broadside and 15 dBi at 45° scan angle, while the smaller array, occupying a 6.6 × 11 mm2 package area, has a gain of 15 dBi at broadside and 14 dBi at a 45° scan angle. These arrays are an ideal 3D-integrated package solution for 60 GHz radio transceivers.