A Feasibility Study for Wireless Data Communication Between Silicon Integrated Circuits Using Integrated Antennas

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0424335OThe goals of this proposed research are to understand fundamental challenges and discover solutions for realizing wireless interconnection between integrated circuits (IC's), which has the potential of providing the means for radically reducing input/output (I/O) pin counts in IC's. Smaller pin counts reduce cost and the areas for packaged IC's and external wire connections, thus reducing footprints of systems using IC's. Since no physical wires besides those for power and ground connections are present on a printed circuit (PC) board, there will be greater flexibility to modify and upgrade IC's using wireless interconnects while maintaining compatibility to existing PC boards. This will also lower development cost and increase longevity of electronic systems. This research will focus on two fundamental challenges: discovering low loss propagation paths for inter-chip wireless interconnections and fabricating necessary radio circuits. Since the digital complementary metal oxide silicon (CMOS) integrated circuit technology is the most widely utilized and the lowest cost, the feasibility study will utilize digital CMOS technologies.Intellectual Merit: Intra-chip wireless interconnection has been demonstrated and a clock distribution using them is near completion. This proposed research seeks to take the wireless interconnects and study their merits for data communication among integrated circuits. This proposed work is distinct from the effort on intra-chip wireless interconnects for clock distribution in that the system design and expected paths for signal propagation environment as well as the types of circuits and their requirements for high data rate communication are completely different. The issues for inter-chip wireless data communication are also distinct from the traditional wireless communication. Besides the extremely high data rate, the communication terminals for inter-chip wireless interconnects are located in close proximity (typically a few centimeters or less), and they are required to be fully integrated as radios on chip (ROC). Major challenges for inter-chip wireless interconnects are expected to be discovering signal propagation paths that are compatible with the required bit error rate (less than 10 -20 ), high bandwidth efficiency to achieve the high data rate, and fabrication of low power and high frequency circuits with integrated antennas. Overcoming these challenges, besides helping to solve the packaging problem will significantly advance knowledge for integrating antennas to realize an ROC, high data rate wireless communication, and re-configurability of electronic systems.Broader Impact: The cost reduction and increase of longevity of electronic systems make them more affordable. These will help to make the benefits of the communication and integrated circuits technology enjoyed by the larger cross section of the population. The increase of longevity also reduces the rate at which electronic devices are discarded and help to more efficiently utilize the natural resources and better preserve environments. Within 5 years, the mainstream silicon technologies are expected to be sufficient for implementing circuits operating at 50 GHz and higher. There will be insufficient numbers of engineers and researchers with the necessary expertise to exploit the emerging opportunities. This project will help to alleviate this problem by increasing the pool of researchers who can work across the traditional boundaries of communication systems and theory, integrated circuits and devices, RF/microwave electronics, and electromagnetics through research and classroom teaching. A link between the local high school with the largest number of African American students and the Silicon Microwave Integrated Circuits Group at UF will be established. Utilizing this link, African-American students will be paired with graduate students working on the proposed research to help define and complete science fair projects related to the proposed research. Participation of undergraduate students from the underrepresented groups in the proposed research will be actively sought. These students after graduation serving as role models will help to increase participation of women and members of the underrepresented groups in science and engineering throughout the nation. The concept of integrating antennas on chip has received a great deal of attention of the popular press. It appears to be a topic that could capture the imagination of general public and that could be effective for increasing interests in science and engineering by the public as well as for attracting more students into the field.