Radio Frequency and mm-Wave Integrated Circuits

本研究主要探讨低成本、全积体化低功率、短距离高速无线通讯电路。典型的应用是在设备之间以高比特率传输数据，例如，摄像机到显示设备。由于越来越多的个人通信设备在低GHz频率下使用，因此在这样的频率下实现高数据速率应用的机会有限。有必要探索所需带宽可用的更高频率。例如，在60 GHz下有高达7 GHz的带宽，允许以GHz速率进行数据通信。为了保持低成本，并且为了完全集成的可能性，使用CMOS或BiCMOS技术是合适的，该技术具有可以用于射频前端电路和收发器后端中的数字信号处理的优点。然而，对于硅，重要的是要仔细进行设计，以最大限度地减少由于非理想衬底引起的损耗和噪声。同样，在这些高频率下，波长降低到mm范围，因此可以使用基于传输线的分布式组件。传输线的结构可以优化以减少衬底损耗，例如通过使其共面，然而，这必须与布局面积的增加仔细权衡。在典型的应用中，分布式组件可用于匹配和耦合电路。利用分布式组件的电路的其他现有示例是分布式放大器或旋转行波振荡器。分布式组件的可能更高的质量和集总组件的更小的物理尺寸之间的权衡将被仔细地做出，选择对特定应用最有利的结构。最终，本研究的目标将是使用集总和分布式组件的最佳组合来设计收发器的高频组件。

The proposed research consists of the exploration of low cost, fully integrated low power, short-range high-speed wireless communications circuits. A typical application would be to transfer data at high bit rates between devices, for example, video cameras to display devices. Due to an increasing number of personal communication devices being used at low GHz frequencies, there is limited opportunity to for high data rate applications at such frequencies. It becomes necessary to explore higher frequencies where the required bandwidth is available. As an example, there is up to 7 GHz of bandwidth available at 60 GHz allowing data communications at GHz rates. In order to remain low cost, and for the possibility of being fully integrated, it is appropriate to use CMOS or BiCMOS technology which has the advantage that it can be used both for radio frequency front-end circuits, and for digital signal processing in the back end of the transceiver. However, with silicon it is important to do the design carefully to minimize the loss and noise due to the non-ideal substrate. As well, at these high frequencies the wavelength is decreased down to the mm range, and hence it is possible to use distributed components based on transmission lines. The structure of the transmission lines can be optimized to reduce substrate losses, for example by making it coplanar, however, this must be carefully traded off with the increase in layout area. In typical applications, distributed components might be used for matching and coupling circuits. Other existing examples of circuits that make use of distributed components are distributed amplifiers or rotary traveling wave oscillators. The trade-off between the possible higher quality of distributed com-ponents and the smaller physical size of lumped components will be made carefully, choosing structures that are the most beneficial for the particular application. Ultimately, the goal of this research will be to have designed the high-frequency components of the transceiver using an optimal mixture of lumped and distributed components.