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

使用集成天线的硅集成电路之间无线数据通信的可行性研究

• 批准号: 0424335
• 负责人: Kenneth O
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: University of Florida
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing grant
• 财政年份: 2004
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2004-09-01 至 2007-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0424335&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Feasibility; Study; Wireless; Data; Communication

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.

本研究的目标是理解基本挑战并发现用于实现集成电路（IC）之间的无线互连的解决方案，其具有提供用于从根本上减少IC中的输入/输出（I/O）引脚数的手段的潜力。更小的引脚数减少了成本和用于封装IC和外部导线连接的面积，从而减少了使用IC的系统的占用空间。由于印刷电路（PC）板上不存在除了用于电源和接地连接的物理线之外的物理线，因此在保持与现有PC板的兼容性的同时，使用无线互连来修改和升级IC将具有更大的灵活性。这也将降低开发成本并延长电子系统的寿命。这项研究将集中在两个基本的挑战：发现芯片间无线互连的低损耗传播路径和制造必要的无线电电路。由于数码互补金属氧化物硅（CMOS）集成电路技术应用最广泛，成本最低，因此可行性研究将采用数码CMOS技术。本研究旨在探讨无线互连技术在集成电路数据通信中的应用。所提出的这项工作是从芯片内的无线互连时钟分配的系统设计和预期的信号传播环境的路径，以及电路的类型和它们的要求，高数据速率通信的努力是完全不同的。芯片间无线数据通信的问题也不同于传统的无线通信。除了极高的数据速率外，用于芯片间无线互连的通信终端位置非常接近（通常为几厘米或更小），并且它们需要完全集成为片上无线电（ROC）。芯片间无线互连的主要挑战预计是发现与所需的误码率（小于10 - 20）兼容的信号传播路径、实现高数据速率的高带宽效率以及具有集成天线的低功率和高频电路的制造。除了有助于解决封装问题之外，克服这些挑战还将大大提高集成天线的知识，以实现ROC，高数据速率无线通信和电子系统的可重新配置性。更广泛的影响：电子系统的成本降低和寿命延长使其更实惠。这将有助于使更多的人享受到通信和集成电路技术的好处。寿命的增加还降低了电子设备的丢弃率，并有助于更有效地利用自然资源和更好地保护环境。预计在5年内，主流硅技术将足以实现工作在50 GHz或更高频率的电路。拥有必要专门知识的工程师和研究人员人数将不足，无法利用新出现的机会。该项目将有助于缓解这一问题，通过增加研究人员谁可以跨越通信系统和理论，集成电路和设备，射频/微波电子学和电磁学的传统界限，通过研究和课堂教学工作池。将建立当地高中与非洲裔美国学生人数最多的硅微波集成电路集团在UF之间的联系。利用这一联系，非洲裔美国学生将与研究生配对，帮助确定和完成与拟议研究相关的科学博览会项目。将积极寻求代表性不足群体的本科生参与拟议的研究。这些学生在毕业后作为榜样，将有助于提高妇女和代表性不足群体成员在全国科学和工程领域的参与。在芯片上集成天线的概念已经受到大众媒体的极大关注。这似乎是一个可以抓住公众想象力的话题，可以有效地提高公众对科学和工程的兴趣，并吸引更多的学生进入该领域。