Dong Yun Jung

60-GHz System-on-Package Transmitter Integrating Sub-Harmonic Frequency Amplitude Shift-Keying Modulator

This paper proposes a simple low-temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) integrated transmitter using sub-harmonic amplitude shift-keying modulation for 60-GHz wireless communications applications. The transmitter system-on-package (SoP) has been monolithically implemented with a six-layer LTCC block embedding a resonator, modulator, and antenna and two active circuits, including a negative resistance generator and frequency doubler on the block. The transmitter SoP integrating whole millimeter-wave circuitry is as small as 26 times 18 times 0.6 mm3, which needs external interfaces only for supplying dc power and digital input signal. The fabricated transmitter SoP reveals a bit error rate of 10-11 and good eye pattern through a 2.5-m transmission of 800-Mb/s data.

A Low-Power, High-Suppression V-band Frequency Doubler in 0.13

A V-band frequency doubler monolithic microwave integrated circuit with a current re-use buffer amplifier is presented. The circuit is designed and fabricated using 0.13 mum CMOS technology. The buffer amplifier uses a current re-use topology, which adopts series connection of two common source amplifiers for low dc power consumption. The suppression of the fundamental frequency is obtained by shunting the input frequency at the output node of the doubler and the drain nodes of two common-source stages of the buffer amplifier. The fabricated frequency doubler exhibits an output power of -4.45 dBm and a conversion gain of -0.45 dB at input frequency of 27.1 GHz with an input power of -4 dBm. The suppression of the fundamental signal is 49.2 dB. The total dc power dissipation is 9 mW while the buffer amplifier consumes 5 mW. The integrated circuit size including pads is 1.24 mm times 0.75 mm. To our knowledge, this is the highest suppression with low-power dissipation among V-band frequency doublers.

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This paper demonstrates a low loss fully embedded multilayer bandpass filter (BPF) using low-temperature cofired ceramic (LTCC) technology for 3-D integration of 40-GHz multimedia wireless system (MWS) radio. The LTCC filter implemented in a stripline configuration occupies an area of only 5.5 times 2.3 times 0.6 mm including shielding structure and coplanar waveguide (CPW) transitions. The measured insertion loss was as small as 1.9 dB at a center frequency of 41.8 GHz, and the return loss was 12.2 dB including the loss associated with two CPW-to-stripline transitions. This six-layer BPF showed 3-dB bandwidth of 10.5% from 39.6 to 44.0 GHz at a center frequency of 41.8 GHz and suppressed the local oscillator (LO) signal to 20.2 dB at a local oscillator frequency of 38.8 GHz, making it suitable for the 40 GHz MWS applications.

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In this work, the first μ-strip 60GHz Rotman lens and new compact low loss strip delay line using low temperature co-fired ceramic(LTCC) are proposed. The lens has 3 steering capability for +26°, −26°, 0.1° angle, − 10.86dB of side lobe level(SLL), and 28° of half power beam width (HPBW). The Rotman lens is designed in μ-strip structure for integration capability with the system on package(SoP). In order to replace bulky and lossy meander line of the Rotman lens, new compact low loss delay line is developed and verified. It shows remarkable performance; it has smaller insertion loss. Furthermore, It shows 78% of length reduction than meander line. Also, owing to its simple and symmetrical structure, the delay line is reciprocal and analogous.

A Fully Embedded LTCC Multilayer BPF for 3-D Integration of 40-GHz Radio

A new type of grounded coplanar waveguide (GCPW) to rectangular waveguide transition in an LTCC multi-layer structure for 60 GHz applications is proposed in this letter. The GCPW and rectangular waveguide are fully integrated on the same substrate, and the ground wall of the rectangular waveguide is made up of a staggered via fence. The transition is accomplished by inserting a bent short stub. We analyze and prove the novel transition structure by applying an equivalent circuit model. Measured results for a single transition show that the insertion loss is 0.345 dB at 59 GHz and the bandwidth is 6.3 GHz. The proposed transition structure with very low loss at a large bandwidth is very suitable for a SiP of 60 GHz WPAN applications.

60GHz Rotman lens and new compact low loss delay line using LTCC technology

This paper presents two high-Q circular resonators utilizing low temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) multilayer circuits for millimeter-wave system-on-package applications. A resonator including zigzagged dual-row via posts for tightly confining electromagnetic energy as a metallic boundary wall will be presented. Another resonator containing the zigzagged dual-row via posts and a lambda/4 short stub on a feeding via post in the circular resonator is used for transmitting energy in the resonator to output load without losses. Simple theories for obtaining high-Q factors using zigzagged dual-row via posts and the feeding technique with the lambda /4 short stub are derived. A total of four layers are used to construct the resonator with a height of 300 mu m (three layers); an additional layer is used for the probe excitation and signal feeding line. The signal feeding line is employed to connect a negative resistance generator monolithic microwave integrated circuit ((-)R MMIC) that consists of conductor backed coplanar waveguide (CBCPW), which is implemented on a layer. A CPW-type double bond wire connects the resonator and (-)R MMIC. The measurement results show that the first and second resonant modes are TM010 at 29.75 GHz and TE010 at 46.75 GHz, respectively. Although the unloaded Q value of the conventional resonator is 204, the proposed resonator with zigzagged dual-row via posts achieved an unloaded Q value of 249, which is a 22.1% improvement. Further, the new resonator with the lambda/4 short stub and zigzagged dual-row via posts yielded an unloaded Q of 296, an improvement of 45.1% for the first resonant mode. In order to verify the resonator performances, the oscillator integrating the proposed resonator is evaluated. The measured output power and phase noise of the oscillator is 18.8 dBm at 27 GHz and -104.67 dBc/Hz at 1 MHz offset, respectively. It can be implemented easily without requiring additional processes or any degradation of performance and therefore is suitable to implement in high integrated systems for millimeter-wave applications.

A Novel GCPW to Rectangular Waveguide Transition for 60 GHz Applications

This paper presents effects of a resonator output load line on the performance of an oscillator. To verify the effects, we designed three low temperature co- fired ceramic (LTCC) circular resonators to fabricate three different Ka-band oscillators. The output load line of the resonator connecting a negative resistance generator monolithic microwave integrated circuit ([-]R MMIC) is a conductor backed coplanar waveguide (CBCPW). We propose load lines with a back pad or a lambda/4 short stub to reduce radiation loss at the opposite side of the load lines. The unloaded Q-value of the two proposed resonators is 255 (25% improvement) and 274 (33.4% improvement) respectively, compared to a conventional resonator with a value of 204. While the measured output power and phase noise of an oscillator with a conventional resonator is 5.0dBm and -95.17dBc/Hz at 1MHz offset, the two oscillators using the proposed resonators with a back pad or lambda/4 short stub are measured at 6.34 dBm, -97.33 dBc/Hz, 16.84 dBm, and -101.17 dBc/Hz, respectively, at the same bias condition. We can see that the radiation loss of the output load line exerts a great influence not only on the Q-value of a resonator but also on the output power and phase noise of an oscillator. As the resonators are embedded in the multilayer LTCC block, they are also very suitable for implementing millimeter-wave integrated system applications.

High- Q Circular LTCC Resonator Using Zigzagged Via Posts and a

This paper presents the 60 GHz SoP research activities including the integration and demonstration of a transmitter (Tx)/receiver (Rx) radio as well as design and fabrication of mmW sub-circuits such as low loss transmission lines and transitions with air cavities, a resonator, filters, and antennas, all in LTCC multilayer circuits.

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This paper proposes a low loss and broadband grounded coplanar waveguide (GCPW) to waveguide (WG) transition in a low temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) multi-layer structure for 60GHz applications. The GCPW and WG are fully integrated on the same substrate, and the ground wall of the embedded WG is made up of a staggered via fence. A 3λ/4 bent short stub is connected between signal line of GCPW and WG ground wall for effective coupling. The WG dimension is gradually increased for broadband characteristic. Measured results for a single transition show that the insertion loss is 0.775dB at 58.3GHz and the 3-dB bandwidth is 6.8GHz from 53.1GHz to 59.9GHz. The proposed transition structure has been packaged in 60GHz LTCC System-in-Package(SiP) receiver module, and a 60GHz wireless data link at 648Mbps over 3m has been demonstrated.

Short Stub for Millimeter-Wave System-on-Package Applications

An SMD type balun with a frequency range from 10 GHz to 25 GHz in a low temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) substrate is designed and measured. To reduce the effect of misalignment in the multilayer coupler, we propose a novel multilayer coupler structure which is insensitive to misalignment. The package has ports on the ground plane for the SMT, and a cover on top of the circuit to protect the circuit. Every transmission line is simulated as an embedded micro-strip line to account for the cover effect. All the internal ports are connected to the output ports at ground plane through via transition. The total number of LTCC layers is 5 including the cover layer. The overall dimension is as small as 5.5 mm /spl times/ 5.5 mm /spl times/ 0.5 mm.