Radio Frequency and mm-Wave Integrated Circuits

提出的研究包括探索低成本、全集成、低功耗、短距离的高速无线通信电路。典型的应用将是在设备之间以高比特率传输数据，例如从摄像机到显示设备。由于在低GHz频率下使用的个人通信设备的数量不断增加，因此在这种频率下用于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处有高达7 GHz的可用带宽，允许以GHz速率进行数据通信。为了保持低成本和完全集成的可能性，适合使用具有既可用于射频前端电路，又可用于收发机后端的数字信号处理的CMOS或BiCMOS技术。然而，对于硅来说，仔细地进行设计以最大限度地减少由于非理想衬底造成的损耗和噪声是很重要的。此外，在这些高频下，波长被降低到mm范围，因此可以使用基于传输线的分布式组件。例如，可以通过使传输线共面来优化传输线的结构以减少衬底损耗，然而，这必须与布局面积的增加小心地权衡。在典型应用中，分布式元件可用于匹配和耦合电路。其他利用分布式元件的电路的现有例子是分布式放大器或旋转行波振荡器。在可能的更高质量的分布式组件和更小的集中组件的物理尺寸之间，将仔细地进行权衡，选择对特定应用最有利的结构。最终，这项研究的目标将是使用集中组件和分布式组件的最佳混合来设计收发机的高频组件。

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.