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

该小型企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目将研究用于微波和毫米波器件表征的新型芯片级仪器。所提出的仪器的主要元素是用于信号生成和检测的硅集成电路，以及提供可重构信号路由和调节的先进无源电路。这些仪器将采用系统级封装技术。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，在成本和多功能性方面具有显着优势。在该项目中，新型芯片级微波/毫米波系统将作为测试和测量行业的颠覆性技术进行研究。研究目标包括开发适当的硅IC设计，RF MEMS信号调理电路和一个小型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，并适用于此特定应用。预计初步的功能原型，利用新的封装方案和现有的芯片架构，将在第一阶段项目结束时进行演示。该项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力将彻底改变微波测试。今天的微波测试仪器通常安装在机架上，通过电缆和某种形式的夹具（例如晶圆探针）连接到被测设备，并连接到计算机进行数据采集。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实验室型仪器相比，特定于应用的设计将大大降低成本。对于毫米波频率的表征，芯片级仪器可能优于传统仪器，因为测量可以紧邻设备执行，从而消除了电缆和其他互连引起的大部分噪声和损耗。芯片级仪器的概念可以扩展到通过电池供电的无线遥测实现移动的监测，从而在汽车和生物医学设备（传感器）行业等领域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表征成本，并在仪器成本成为进入障碍的情况下实现新技术。

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.