Saeed Zeinolabedinzadeh

Design of Radiation-Hardened RF Low-Noise Amplifiers Using Inverse-Mode SiGe HBTs

A SiGe RF low-noise amplifier (LNA) with built-in tolerance to single-event transients is proposed. The LNA utilizes an inverse-mode SiGe HBT for the common-base transistor in a cascode core. This new cascode configuration exhibits reduced transient peaks and shorter transient durations compared to the conventional cascode one. The improved SET response was verified with through-wafer two-photon absorption pulsed-laser experiments and supported via mixed-mode TCAD simulations. In addition, analysis of the RF performance and the reliability issues associated with the inverse-mode operation further suggests this new cascode structure can be a strong contender for space-based applications. The LNA with the inverse-mode-based cascode core was fabricated in a 130 nm SiGe BiCMOS platform and has similar RF performance to the conventional schematic-based LNA, further validating the proposed approach.

Low phase noise and high output power 367 GHz and 154 GHz signal sources in 130 nm SiGe HBT technology

This paper addresses the design and measurement results of two high frequency signal sources implemented in SiGe HBT technology. The 367 GHz signal source achieves a phase noise of -110 dBc/Hz at 10 MHz offset from the carrier and provides better than -8 dBm of output power. The 154 GHz signal source achieves a phase noise of -87 dBc/Hz at 1 MHz offset from the carrier and generates +7 dBm of differential output power. To the authors knowledge, the 154 GHz oscillator achieves the highest output power among silicon-based signal sources in this frequency range, and the 367 GHz signal source achieves the best phase noise among silicon-based signal sources in this frequency range. These results show the feasibility of implementation of high-performance sub-millimeter-wave circuits in advanced SiGe technology platforms.

A Comparison of the Degradation in RF Performance Due to Device Interconnects in Advanced SiGe HBT and CMOS Technologies

This paper investigates the impact of the interconnect between the bottom and the top metal layers on the transistor RF performance of CMOS and silicon-germanium (SiGe) heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) technologies. State-of-the-art 32-nm silicon-on-insulator (SOI) CMOS and 120-nm SiGe HBT technologies are analyzed in detail. Measured results indicate a significant reduction in the unity-gain frequency (fT) from the bottom to the top metal layer for advanced CMOS technology nodes, but only a slight reduction for SiGe HBTs. The 32-nm SOI CMOS and SiGe HBT technologies have a reduction in the maximum oscillation frequency (fmax) from the bottom to the top metal layer of ~12% and 5%, respectively. By analyzing technology scaling trends, it is clear that SiGe HBTs can now achieve a similar peak fT at the top metal layer in comparison with advanced CMOS technology nodes, and a significantly higher fmax. Furthermore, in CMOS technologies, the top metal layer fmax appears to have reached a peak around the 45-65-nm technology nodes, a result which has significant implications.

A 314 GHz, fully-integrated SiGe transmitter and receiver with integrated antenna

We present a 314 GHz transmitter and receiver chipset which is implemented in an advanced SiGe HBT platform, and which has on-chip antennas. The transmitter uses an active antenna structure, where the generated on-chip signal is directly fed into the antenna. The receiver consists of a novel sub-harmonic resistive mixer with an on-chip high-power differential signal source feeding the LO port. A test link which directly connects the transmitter to the receiver was also implemented as a reference for characterization. This reference circuit enables a simple and accurate measurement method for conversion loss and antenna gain by omitting external high frequency signal sources. To further facilitate the characterization, the utilized on-chip signals were implemented and tested separately as well. The receiver achieves 22.5 dB conversion loss and the transmitter generates a signal power of -8 dBm at 314 GHz. On-die end-fire antennas were designed for both transmit and receive paths, and utilize a substrate etching technology to boost performance. This work demonstrates the feasibility of fully-integrated and compact sub-mmW transceiver implementations using SiGe technology.

An Investigation of Single-Event Effect Modeling Techniques for a SiGe RF Low-Noise Amplifier

The single-event transient (SET) response of a SiGe-based, L-band low-noise amplifier (LNA) is investigated, with a focus on providing recommendations for radiation event simulation techniques. Pulsed-laser, two-photon absorption experiments show that the SET sensitivity of the SiGe LNA is highly dependent on operating conditions and strike location. Time and frequency-domain analyses raise potential concerns for digital data modulated on RF carrier signals. Device and circuit-level ion-strike TCAD simulations are utilized to compare alternative simulation approaches, highlight the importance of parasitics on SET simulation accuracy, and suggest best practices for modeling radiation-induced transients within RF/mm-wave circuits.

Impact of Total Ionizing Dose on a 4th Generation, 90 nm SiGe HBT Gaussian Pulse Generator

We investigate the effects of total ionizing dose (TID) on a Gaussian pulse generator implemented in IBMs new 9HP SiGe BiCMOS platform, which combines 300 GHz fT SiGe HBTs and 90 nm CMOS. Total dose effects were examined using a 10-keV X-ray source. The effects of TID on the performance of the pulse generator were investigated with the pulse generator exhibiting a tpw variation of less than 7% for total dose of up to 3.0 Mrad. This circuit is intended for low-power autonomous high-altitude and space-based imaging radars.

A highly-efficient 138–170 GHz SiGe HBT frequency doubler for power-constrained applications

This paper presents a 138-170 GHz active frequency doubler implemented in a 0.13 μm SiGe BiCMOS technology with a peak output power of 5.6 dBm and peak power-added efficiency of 7.6%. The doubler achieves a peak conversion gain of 4.9 dB and consumes only 36 mW of DC power at peak drive through the use of a push-push frequency doubling stage optimized for low drive power, along with a low-power output buffer. To the best of our knowledge, this doubler achieves the highest output power, efficiency, and fundamental frequency suppression of all D-band and G-band SiGe HBT frequency doublers to date.

On the Cryogenic RF Linearity of SiGe HBTs in a Fourth-Generation 90-nm SiGe BiCMOS Technology

Large-signal (P1 dB) and small-signal (OIP3) radio frequency (RF) linearities of silicon-germanium (SiGe) heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs) fabricated in a new fourth-generation 90-nm SiGe BiCMOS technology operating at cryogenic temperatures are investigated. The SiGe BiCMOS process technology has an fT/fmax of 300/350 GHz. SiGe HBTs with two different layout configurations, collector-base-emitter (CBE) and CBE-base-collector (CBEBC), were characterized over temperature. Both dc and ac figures-of-merit are presented to aid in understanding the linearity, and to provide an overall performance comparison between the two layout configurations. The extracted peak fT/fmax for CBE and CBEBC at 78 K are 387/350 and 420/410 GHz, respectively. The P1 dB and OIP3 linearity metrics for both configurations are comparable. Source- and load-pull measurements were performed at each temperature at 8 and 18 GHz, with the devices biased at a JC of 18 mA/μm2. Two-tone measurements over bias were also performed at 300 and 78 K with 50-Ω terminations for the source and load impedances. The 50 Ω results follow a similar response to the source-and load-pull measurements at 300 and 78 K, and demonstrate that the small-signal linearity of the SiGe HBTs is not adversely impacted by operation at cryogenic temperatures. The CBEBC configuration demonstrated the most consistent RF linearity performance at cryogenic temperature out of the two layout options.

Single-Event Effects in High-Frequency Linear Amplifiers: Experiment and Analysis

The single-event transient (SET) response of two different silicon-germanium (SiGe) X-band (8–12 GHz) low noise amplifier (LNA) topologies is fully investigated in this paper. The two LNAs were designed and implemented in 130nm SiGe HBT BiCMOS process technology. Two-photon absorption (TPA) laser pulses were utilized to induce transients within various devices in these LNAs. Impulse response theory is identified as a useful tool for predicting the settling behavior of the LNAs subjected to heavy ion strikes. Comprehensive device and circuit level modeling and simulations were performed to accurately simulate the behavior of the circuits under ion strikes. The simulations agree well with TPA measurements. The simulation, modeling and analysis presented in this paper can be applied for any other circuit topologies for SET modeling and prediction.

Single-Event Effects in a Millimeter-Wave Receiver Front-End Implemented in 90 nm, 300 GHz SiGe HBT Technology

The single-event transient (SET) response of a W-band (75–110 GHz) radar receiver front-end is investigated in this paper. A new technique to facilitate the SET testing of the high frequency transceivers is proposed and demonstrated experimentally. The entire radar receiver front-end, including the high frequency signal sources and modulators, were designed and fully integrated in 90 nm 300 GHz SiGe process technology (Global Foundries SiGe 9HP). Two-photon absorption (TPA) laser pulses were utilized to induce transient currents in different devices in various circuit blocks. The study shows how short transient pulses from the high frequency tuned circuits are propagated throughout the receiver and are broadened while passing through low-pass filters present at supply nodes and the low-pass filter following the down-conversion mixer, thus affecting the digital data at the output of the receiver. The proposed methodology allows the study of the effect of SETs on the recovered digital data at the output of the high frequency receivers, thus allowing bit error rate calculations. Comprehensive device and circuit level simulations were also performed, and a close agreement between the measurement results and simulation data was demonstrated. To the authors’ best knowledge, this is the first study of SET on full receiver at millimeter-wave (mmW) frequencies.