Research for Mixed Signal Electronic Technologies: A Joint Initiative Between NSF and SRC: Coupled Device and Circuit Simulation for Critical RF IC Blocks

随着射频集成电路在消费电子产品中的扩散，对能够在硅中实现首次通过的模拟和建模工具的需求非常迫切。在芯片上集成完整系统的趋势要求在同一硅衬底上集成非常高性能的数字、模拟和射频电路。这些复杂系统的成功集成需要新的设计工具和设计方法，这些设计工具和设计方法大大推进了最先进的技术。在稳定状态下，射频系统性能的某些方面更容易表征和验证。这些方面的例子包括失真、功率、频率、噪声和传输特性，如增益和阻抗。拟议的工作重点是开发一个耦合的器件和电路仿真器，该仿真器将准确地满足关键的和噪声敏感的模拟和射频器件和电路的建模和仿真需求。器件和电路模拟器的耦合提供了集成电路制造技术、器件设计和更高水平的电路设计之间的直接联系。由于来自器件模拟器的模型(数值模型)是预测性的，它们可以用来评估技术对电路性能的影响。此外，这项工作为新的设计方法提供了基础，这些方法将促进模拟和射频电路模块的发展。本研究将重点放在高性能和高频模拟和射频电路的建模、仿真和设计上。这项工作的主要贡献将是：用于在耦合的器件和电路仿真器编解码器中结合通用器件仿真器的软件体系结构。该架构将允许在不对器件模拟器进行大量修改的情况下进行集成，并支持对SiGe和SOI等技术的模拟以及对光学设备的模拟。该工具架构还促进了多个工作站的并行化。在一个仿真器中可以使用时域和频域稳态仿真方法。该模拟器可以使用数值(物理)模型和紧凑的电路模型。能够模拟器件之间的相互作用，包括衬底和热耦合。射频电路的耦合器件和电路噪声模拟技术。通过制造以下射频电路的改进设计来验证模拟器：低噪声放大器(LNA)、混频器和压控振荡器(VCO)。这些电路是收发信机中的关键模块，对噪声特别敏感。本方案中的研究与一个重要的教育组件紧密结合。这将包括射频集成电路课程的开发，以及射频应用的建模和仿真。将开发一门新的本科课程。本课程将重点介绍收发信机架构和分立设计，并将包括一个实验，学生将在该实验中获得无线电设计的实践经验。重点将放在与收发信机设计相关的项目上。研究成果，包括软件、电路设计和课程相关材料，将在万维网上提供。此外，拟议工作的结果将在半导体研究公司和NSF模拟和数字IC设计中心的会议上公布。

With the proliferation of RF ICs in consumer electronic products there is a critical need for simulation and modeling tools that enable first pass success in silicon. The trend towards integrating complete systems on a chip, requires very high performance digital, analog, and RF circuits to be integrated on the same silicon substrate. Successful integration of these complex systems requires new design tools and design approaches that significantly advance the state-of-the-art. Certain aspects of RF system performance are easier to characterize and verify in steady state. Examples of these are distortion, power, frequency, noise, and transfer characteristics such as gain and impedance. The proposed work focuses on developing a coupled device and circuit simulator that will accurately address the modeling and simulation needs of critical and noise sensitive analog and RF devices and circuits. A coupled device and circuit simulator provides adirect link between the IC fabrication technology, device design and the higher level of circuit design. Since the models from the device simulator (numerical models) are predictive, they can be used to evaluate the impact of technology on circuit performance. Additionally, this work provides the foundation for new design approaches that will advance the state-of-the-art for analog and RF circuits blocks.This research will focus on modeling, simulation, and design of high performance and high frequency analog and RF circuits. The key contributions of this work will be:A software architecture for incorporating general purpose device simulators in the coupled device and circuit simulator CODECS. The architecture will allow integration without extensive modifications to the device simulator and enable simulation of technologies such as SiGe and SOI, and also simulation of optical devices. This tool architecture also facilitates parallelization over a cluster of workstations.Availability of time-domain and frequency-domain steady-state simulation methods within one simulator. Numerical (physical) models and compact circuit models can be used within this simulator.Capability of simulating device-to-device interactions including substrate and thermal couplings.Coupled device and circuit noise simulation techniques for RF circuits.Validation of simulator with fabrication of improved designs for the following RF circuitry: low noise amplifier (LNA), mixer, and voltage controlled oscillator (VCO). These circuits are critical blocks in a transceiver and are particularly sensitive to noise.The research in this proposal is tightly integrated with a significant educationalcomponent. This will include development of courses in RF integrated circuits, and modeling and simulation for RF applications. A new undergraduate course will be developed. This course will focus on transceiver architectures and discrete design and will include a lab in which students will gain hands-on experience in radio design. The emphasis will be on projects related to transceiver design. The research results, including the software, circuit designs, and course-related materials will be available on the world wide web. In addition, results from the proposed work will be presented at meetings of the Semiconductor Research Corporation and the NSF Center for Design of Analog and Digital ICs.