P. Abele

Differential VCO and frequency tripler using SiGe HBTs for the 24 GHz ISM band

A frequency source generator chip was designed and built in a commercial SiGe process for an integrated front-end transceiver operating in the 24 GHz ISM band. It consists of a negative resistance cross-coupled differential VCO, oscillating at 8 GHz with a 150 MHz tuning range, having an output power of 0 dBm and a phase noise of -90 dBc/Hz at 100 kHz offset. The VCO drives a differential amplifier used as a frequency tripler which results in an overall voltage control frequency source operating at a nominal frequency of 23.5 GHz with a 420 MHz tuning range. It has a -10 dBm output power and consumes 180 mW. Its phase noise is -80 dBc/Hz at 100 kHz. The total chip area measures 600 /spl times/ 300 /spl mu/m/sup 2/.

Wafer level integration of a 24 GHz differential SiGe-MMIC oscillator with a patch antenna using BCB as a dielectric layer

This paper describes the wafer level integration of a differential 24GHz SiGe-MMIC oscillator including a buffer amplifier with a differentially driven patch antenna. The patch antenna is realized on 30¿m BCB (Benzo Cyclo Butene) used as a dielectric layer. The radiated power of the patch antenna driven by the oscillator is calculated based on measurements and the result is discussed.

Wafer level integration of a 24 GHz and 34 GHz differential SiGe-MMIC oscillator with a loop antenna on a BCB membrane

The wafer level integration of a 24 GHz and 34 GHz SiGe-MMIC oscillator with buffer amplifier and a loop antenna on a BCB (Benzo Cyclo Butene) membrane is demonstrated. The phase noise of the non-integrated 24 GHz and 34 GHz oscillator is -104 dBc/Hz and -88 dBc/Hz at an offset frequency of 1 MHz and the output power was measured to be +1 dBm and -3 dBm, respectively. The radiated power of both integrated systems is determined based on measurements with a horn antenna and discussed.

A Ku band SiGe low noise amplifier

SiGe heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs) combine good overall RF performance with low noise figures. The use of SiGe HBT MMICs in RF communication systems promises low cost and high yield. Potential markets today are 10-12 GHz TV broadcasting and multimedia-delivery satellite systems. They can be addressed by present device technologies. Future systems will operate in the higher Ku and Ka bands and will require an optimization of the SiGe HBT device structures. The SiGe HBT low noise amplifier presented here is a design study that demonstrates the ability to reach beyond X-band. It shows that scaled SiGe transistors will continue to be a low cost option for the future communication market,.

Parameter extraction of SiGe HBTs for a scalable MEXTRAM model and performance verification by a SiGe HBT MMIC active receive mixer design for 11 GHz

An efficient and robust parameter extraction method for the bipolar compact MEXTRAM model has been developed and applied to Si/SiGe heterostructure bipolar transistors. The purpose is to extract as many transistor parameters as possible by an appropriately chosen set of DC and AC measurements without fitting the parameters to the transistor model. These parameters give a useful insight into the physical behavior of the transistor, which lends itself to derive a scalable transistor model and to make a proper circuit design. The extracted model is validated in the design and characterization of an active receive mixer for 11 GHz.

MEMS SiGe technologies for advanced wireless communications

This paper shows the potentialities of merging MEMS and micromachining with SiGe technologies in order to speed up the performance of the next generation of front ends, in term of flexibility, reconfigurability and adaptability. MEMS technologies are presented, based on BCB materials and BAW materials. Special attention is paid to ensure full compatibility between IC and MEMS. We have shown that very innovative functions could be considered by using this MEMSIC concept.

Sampling circuit on silicon substrate for frequencies beyond 50 GHz

We have fabricated and measured a sampling circuit on high resistivity silicon substrate. The circuit incorporates a nonlinear transmission line to provide the sampling pulses. The sampling circuit was measured up to 50 GHz, with a voltage conversion loss lower than 11 dB and varying in this range by just 2.3 dB. This is the first presentation of a sampling circuit on silicon substrate with a corner frequency beyond 50 GHz.

16 GHz Integrated Oscillator Design with Active Elements in a Production Ready SiGe HBT MMIC Technology

This paper reports on the results gained on an oscillator incorporating active inductance and active capacitance concepts. The only concentrated passive reactances used are the MIM capacitors. With the goal of high output power and low area consumption, the analyzed circuit was realized in a compact 300 × 300 ¿m2 area. A layout-optimized version of a commercially available SiGe heterostructure bipolar transistor MMIC technology with relaxed lateral scaling of 1.2 ¿m has been used. This oscillator design provides a load independent oscillation condition provided by a cascode buffer stage. An output power of 12.5 dBm at 15.6 GHz is achieved.

24GHz SiGe-MMIC Oscillator Realized with Lumped Elements in a Production Line

A 24GHz MMIC (monolithic microwave integrated circuit) oscillator with an area consumption of only 280¿m. 360¿m including all biasing and probing pads is presented. To obtain this small size lumped elements were used. The oscillator was realized in the production line process offered by Temic Semiconductor GmbH using standard transistors and a low resistivity (20¿m) substrate [l]. The oscillation power is ¿5dBm and the phase noise at lMHz off-carrier is ¿108dBc/Hz.

Integrated receiver components for low-cost 26 GHz LMDS applications using an 0.8 /spl mu/m SiGe HBT technology

The authors have demonstrated integrated receiver components addressing 26GHz Local Multipoint Distribution Services (LMDS) applications using a standard SiGe HBT MMIC process with an layouted emitter width of 0.8 /spl mu/m. Compact circuit layout and transistor structure optimization are applied to a mature Si/SiGe technology, resulting in low-cost integrated circuits enabling consumer-oriented systems at 26 GHz. The integrated receiver components are a downconverter and a static 2:1 divider. The downconverter IC consists of a preamplifier and a mixer with an IF buffer. The conversion gain is determined to be 24dB for an intermediate frequency of 200 MHz, and the maximum frequency of operation for the divider is 28.2GHz.