SoC examples

Sorin Voinigescu

doi:10.1017/CBO9781139021128.014

13 - SoC examples

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 March 2013

Sorin Voinigescu

Show author details

Sorin Voinigescu: Affiliation:
University of Toronto

Book contents

Get access

Summary

This chapter presents a possible design flow, along with biasing, isolation and layout strategies suitable for mm-wave SoCs. Competing transceiver architectures, self-test, and packaging approaches are reviewed next, followed by examples of mm-wave SoCs for a wide range of new applications.

What is a high-frequency SoC?

Although a precise definition is difficult to formulate, we define a high-frequency SoC as a single-chip radar, sensor, radio or wireline communication transmitter, receiver or transceiver that includes all high-frequency blocks, sometimes even the antennas, along with digital control and signal-processing circuitry.

Examples include:

2GHz cell-phone or 5GHz wireless LAN transceivers
40Gb/s or 100Gb/s SERDES
60GHz radio transceiver
77GHz automotive radar transceiver
W-, D-, and G-Band active and passive imagers.

DESIGN METHODOLOGY FOR HIGH-FREQUENCY SoCs

Most foundries have recently decided that the MOSFET and SiGe HBT compact models should capture the parasitic capacitance and resistance of only the first 1–2 metal layers, the minimum required for contacting all the device terminals. The rationale invoked is that this approach allows circuit designers more flexibility in the physical layout of transistors and of commonly encountered transistor groupings such as interdigitated differential pairs, interdigitated Gilbert cell quads, and latches. One (major) impediment is that, since most of the backend parasitics are not accounted for in schematic-level simulations, the burden is passed on to the designer to first lay out and then extract the parasitic impedance of the full wiring stack above the transistor in order to get an accurate simulation of circuit performance. This, in turn, creates a problem since, in most cases, the design starts with schematic-level simulations to find the optimal transistor size.

Type: Chapter
Information: High-Frequency Integrated Circuits , pp. 803 - 850

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781139021128.014 [Opens in a new window]

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Print publication year: 2013

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Laskin, E., Khanpour, M., Aroca, R., Tang, K.W., Garcia, P., and Voinigescu, S.P., “95GHz receiver with fundamental frequency VCO and static frequency divider in 65nm Digital CMOS,” IEEE ISSCC Digest, pp. 180–181, February 2008.

Nicolson, S.T., Chevalier, P., Sautreuil, B., and Voinigescu, S.P., “Single-Chip W-Band SiGe HBT Transceivers and Receivers for Doppler Radar and Millimeter-Wave Imaging,“ IEEE JSSC, 43(10): 2206–2217, October 2008.Google Scholar

Valdes-Gacia, A., Nicolson, S.T., Lai, J-W, Natarajan, A., Chen, P-Y., Reynolds, S.K., Zhan, J-H. C., Kam, D.K., Liu, D., and Floyd, B.A., et al., “A SiGe BiCMOS 16-Element Phased array Transmitter for 60GHz Communications,” IEEE ISSCC Digest, pp. 218–219, February 2010.

Emami, S., Wiser, R.F., Ali, E., Forbes, M.G., Gordon, M.Q., Guan, X., Lo, S., McElwee, P.T., Parker, J., Tani, J.R., Gilbert, J.M., and Doan, C.H., “A 60GHz CMOS phased array transceiver pair for multi Gb/s wireless communications,” ISSCC Digest Tech. Papers, pp. 163–164, February 2011.

Forstner, H.P., Knapp, H., Jager, H., Kolmhofer, E., Platz, J., Starzer, F., Treml, M., Schinko, A., Birschkus, G., Bock, J., Aufinger, K., Lachner, R., Meister, T., Schafer, H., Lukashevich, D., Boguth, S., Fischer, A., Reininger, F., Maurer, L., Minichshofer, J., and Steinbuch, D., “A 77GHz 4-channel automotive radar transceiver in SiGe,” in Proc. IEEE Radio Frequency Integrated Circuits Symp. pp. 233–236, June 2008.

Trotta, S., Dehlink, B., Ghazinour, A., Morgan, D., and John, J., “A 77GHz 3.3V 4-channel transceiver in SiGe BiCMOS technology,” in Proc. IEEE Bipolar/BiCMOS Circuits and Technology Meeting BCTM 2008, pp. 186–189, October 2008

Ahmed, S.S., Schiessl, A., and Schmidt, L.-P., “Novel Fully Electronic Active Real-Time Millimeter-Wave Imaging System based on a Planar Multistatic Sparse Array,” in the IEEE Microwave Symposium Digest, June 2011.

Tiebout, M., Wohlmuth, H.-D., Knapp, H., Salerno, R., Druml, M., Kaeferboeck, J., Rest, M., Wuertele, J., Ahmed, S.S., Schiessl, A., and Juenemann, R., “Low Power Wideband Receiver and Transmitter Chipset for mm-Wave Imaging in SiGe Bipolar Technology,” in Proc. of the 2011 RFIC Conference, June 2011.

Seo, M., Urteaga, M., Rodwell, M., and Choe, M., “A 300GHz PLL in an InP HBT Technology,” to be presented at IEEE MTT-S Int. Microwave Symp., Baltimore, June 2011.

Voinigescu, S.P., IEEE 2011 BCTM Short Course, October 2011.

Ojefors, E. et al., A 820GHz SiGe Chipset for Terahertz Active Imaging Applications,” IEEE ISSCC Digest, pp. 224–225, February 2011.

Shahramian, S., Hart, A., Tomkins, A., Carusone, A.C., Garcia, P., Chevalier, P., and Voinigescu, S.P., ”Design of a Dual W– and D-Band PLL,” IEEE JSSC, 46: 1011–1022, May 2011.Google Scholar

Yau, K., Dcquay, E., Sarkas, I., and Voinigescu, S.P., “On-wafer Device, Circuit and SoC Characterization and Self-Test above 100GHz,” IEEE Microwave Magazine, pp. 30–54. February 2012.

Floyd, B.A., Greenberg, D.R., Malladi, R.M., Orner, B.A., and Reynolds, S.K., “Radio Frequency Integrated Circuit with on-chip noise source for self-test,” US Patent Application 2009/0190640 A1, Jul. 20, 2009.

Agethen, R. and Kissinger, D., “Built-in Test Architectures for Zero-IF Automotive Radar Receivers,” Workshop on Automotive Radar Sensors in the 76–81GHz Frequency Range, EuRAD, European Microwave Week, Paris, October 1, 2010.

Sarkas, I., Hasch, J., Balteanu, A., and Voinigescu, S., “A Fundamental Frequency, Single-Chip 120GHz SiGe BiCMOS Precision Distance Sensor with Above IC Antenna Operating over Several Meters,” IEEE MTT, 60(3), pp. 795–812, March 2012.Google Scholar

Laskin, E., Tomkins, A., Balteanu, A., Sarkas, I., and Voinigescu, S.P., “A 60GHz RF IQ DAC Transceiver with on-Die at-Speed Loopback,” IEEE RFIC Symposium Digest. pp., June 2011.

Laskin, E., Chevalier, P., Sautreuil, B., and Voinigescu, S.P., “A 140GHz Double-Sideband Transceiver with Amplitude and Frequency Modulation Operating over a few Meters,” IEEE BCTM Digest, pp. 178–181, October 2009.

Laemmle, B., Schmalz, K., Scheytt, C., Kissinger, D., and Weigel, R., “A 122GHz Multiprobe Reflectometer for Dielectric Sensor Readout in SiGe BiCMOS Technology,” 2011 IEEE CSICS, October 2011.

Inac, O., Shin, D., and Rebeiz, G.M., “A Phased Array RFIC with Built-In Self-Test using an Integrated Vector Signal Analyzer,” 2011 IEEE CSICS, October 2011.

Natarajan, A., Reynolds, S.K., Nicolson, S.T., Zhan, J-H. C., Kam, D.K., Liu, D., Huang, Y-L.O., Valdes-Garcia, A., and Floyd, B.A., “A Fully-Integrated 16-Element Phased array Receiver in SiGe BiCMOS for 60GHz Communications,” IEEE JSSC, 46(5): 1059–1075, May 2011.Google Scholar

Valdes-Garcia, A., Reynolds, S.K., Natarajan, A., Kam, D.K., Liu, D., Lai, J-W, Huang, Y-L.O., Chen, P-Y., Tsai, M-D., Zhan, J-H. C., and Nicolson, S.T., “Single-Element and Phased array Transceiver Chipsets for 60GHz Gb/s Communications,” IEEE Communication Magazine, pp. 120–131, April 2011.

Valdes-Garcia, A., Nicolson, S.T., Lai, J-W, Natarajan, A., Chen, P-Y., Reynolds, S.K., Zhan, J-H. C., Kam, D.K., Liu, D., and Floyd, B.A., “A Fully Integrated 16-Element Phased array Transmitter in SiGe BiCMOS for 60GHz Communications,” IEEE JSSC, 45(12): 2757–2773, December 2010.Google Scholar

Hasch, J., Topak, E., Zwick, T., Schnabel, R., Weigel, R., and Waldschmidt, C., “Millimeter_Wave Technology for Automotive Radar Sensors in the 77GHz Frequency Band,” IEEE MTT, March 2012, pp. 845–860.

Li, H., Rein, H.-M., Suttorp, T., and Böck, J., “Fully integrated SiGe VCOs with powerful output buffer for 77GHz automotive radar systems and applications around 100GHz,” IEEE JSSC, 39(10): 1650–1658, October 2004.Google Scholar

Forstner, H. P., Wohlmuth, H. D., Knapp, H., Gamsjager, C., Bock, J., Meister, T., and Aufinger, K., “A 19GHz DRO downconverter MMIC for 77GHz automotive radar frontends in a SiGe bipolar production technology,” in Proc. IEEE Bipolar/BiCMOS Circuits and Technology Meeting, pp. 117–120, October 2008.

Dehlink, B., Wohlmuth, H.-D., Forstner, H.-P., Knapp, H., Trotta, S., Aufinger, K., Meister, T., Böck, J., and Scholtz, A., “A highly linear SiGe double-balanced mixer for 77GHz automotive radar applications,” IEEE RFIC Symposium Digest, pp. 235–238, June 2006.

Sarkas, I., Laskin, E., Tomkins, A., Hasch, J., Balteanu, A., Dacquay, E., Tarnow, L., Chevalier, P., Sautreuil, B., and Voinigescu, S.P., “Silicon-based radar and imaging sensors operating above 120GHz,” IEEE Mikon 2012, May 2012, pp. 91–96.

Avenier, G., Diop, M., Chevalier, P., Troillard, G., Vandelle, B., Brossard, F., Depoyan, L., Buczko, M., Leyris, C., Boret, S., Montusclat, S., Margain, A., Pruvost, S., Nicolson, S.T., Yau, K.H. K., Revil, N., Gloria, D., Dutartre, D., Voinigescu, S.P., and Chantre, A., “0.13μm SiGe BiCMOS technology for mm-wave applications,” IEEE JSSC, 44: 2312–2321, September 2009.Google Scholar

Hasch, J., Wostradowski, U., Hellinger, R., and Mittelstrass, D., “77GHz radar transceiver with integrated dual antenna elements,” 2010 GeMIC Digest, March 2010.

Book contents

13 - SoC examples

Summary

Access options

References

Save book to Kindle

Save book to Dropbox

Save book to Google Drive