SBIR Phase I: Chip-Scale Microwave/MM-Wave Instrumentation

这个小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第一阶段项目将研究一种用于微波和毫米波器件表征的新型芯片级仪器。所提议的仪器的主要元件是用于信号产生和检测的硅集成电路，以及用于提供可重新配置的信号路由和调节的先进无源电路。这些仪器将利用系统级封装(SIP)技术。其目标是实现定制芯片级仪器，作为传统台式实验室仪器的替代品，在成本和通用性方面具有显著优势。在这个项目中，新的芯片级微波/毫米波系统将作为测试和测量行业的一项颠覆性技术进行研究。研究目标包括开发合适的硅集成电路设计、RF MEMS信号调理电路以及用于小型20 GHz矢量网络分析仪的概念验证封装方案。IC和信号调理电路设计将基于佛罗里达大学和南佛罗里达大学开发的现有技术，并针对这一特定应用进行调整。预计在第一阶段项目结束时，将展示利用新封装方案和现有芯片架构的初步功能原型。该项目的更广泛影响/商业潜力将使微波测试发生革命性变化。今天的微波测试仪器通常是机架安装的，通过电缆和某种形式的夹具(例如晶片上的探头)连接到被测设备，并连接到用于数据采集的计算机。拟议的芯片级仪器有可能改变微波/毫米波测试行业，特别是在生产线或维护操作中，与目前唯一可用的昂贵的实验室类型仪器相比，专用设计将提供显著更低的成本。对于毫米波频率的表征，芯片级仪器的性能可能优于传统仪器，因为可以在设备旁边立即进行测量，从而消除了电缆和其他互连造成的大部分噪声和损耗。芯片规模的仪器概念可以扩展到通过电池供电的无线遥测实现移动监控，在汽车和生物医学设备(传感器)等行业开辟了许多新的潜在应用。通过适当的电路设计，测量能力可以包括阻抗、网络(散射)参数、噪声、频谱和线性度。潜在的社会效益包括显著降低对新技术开发至关重要的定性的成本，并在仪器成本构成进入障碍的情况下支持新技术。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will investigate a new class of chip-scale instrumentation for microwave and mm-wave device characterization. The primary elements of the proposed instruments are silicon integrated circuits for signal generation and detection, and advanced passive circuits to provide reconfigurable signal routing and conditioning. The instruments will utilize system-in-package (SIP) technology. The goal is to realize custom chip-level instruments as alternatives to conventional bench-top laboratory instruments, with significant advantages in terms of cost and versatility. In this project novel chip-scale microwave/mm-wave systems will be investigated as a disruptive technology in the test and measurement industry. The research objectives include the development appropriate silicon IC designs, RF MEMS signal conditioning circuits and a proof-of-concept packaging scheme for a miniature 20 GHz vector network analyzer. The IC and signal conditioning circuit designs will be based on existing technology developed at the University of Florida and the University of South Florida, and adapted for this specific application. It is anticipated that a preliminary functional prototype, utilizing a new packaging scheme and existing chip architectures, will be demonstrated by the end of this Phase I project.The broader impact/commercial potential of this project will revolutionize microwave test. Today's microwave test instruments are typically rack-mounted, interfaced to devices under test through cables and some form of fixture (e.g. on-wafer probes) and to computers for data acquisition. The proposed chip-scale instruments have the potential to transform the microwave/mm-wave test industry, particularly in production line or maintenance operations where application-specific designs would offer dramatically lower cost in comparison to expensive, laboratory-type instruments that are currently the only available option. For characterization into the mm-wave frequencies the chip-scale instruments may outperform traditional instruments, since measurements can be performed immediately next to the device thereby eliminating much of the noise and loss induced by cables and other interconnects. The chip-scale instrument concept can be extended to enable mobile monitoring through battery-powered wireless telemetry, opening up many new potential applications in the automotive and biomedical device (sensor) industries, among others. With the appropriate circuit designs the measurement capabilities could include impedance, network (scattering) parameters, noise, spectrum and linearity. Potential societal benefits include a significant reduction in the cost of performing characterization that is critical to new technology development, and enabling new technologies where instrumentation cost represents a barrier to entry.