Sixty-gigahertz power (PA) and low-noise (LNA) amplifiers have been implemented, based on algorithmic design methodologies for mm-wave CMOS amplifiers, in a 90-nm RF-CMOS process with thick 9-metal-layer Cu backend and transistor fT/fMAX of 120 GHz/200 GHz. The PA, fabricated for the first time in CMOS at 60 GHz, operates from a 1.5-V supply with 5.2 dB power gain, a 3-dB bandwidth >13 GHz, a P 1dB of +6.4 dBm with 7% PAE and a saturated output power of +9.3 dBm at 60 GHz. The LNA represents the first 90-nm CMOS implementation at 60 GHz and demonstrates improvements in noise, gain and power dissipation compared to earlier 60-GHz LNAs in 160-GHz SiGe HBT and 0.13-mum CMOS technologies. It features 14.6 dB gain, an IIP 3 of -6.8 dBm, and a noise figure lower than 5.5 dB, while drawing 16 mA from a 1.5-V supply. The use of spiral inductors for on-chip matching results in highly compact layouts, with the total PA and LNA die areas with pads measuring 0.35times0.43 mm2 and 0.35times0.40 mm2, respectively

Algorithmic Design of CMOS LNAs and PAs for 60-GHz Radio

This expanded and thoroughly revised edition of Thomas H. Lee's acclaimed guide to the design of gigahertz RF integrated circuits features a completely new chapter on the principles of wireless systems. The chapters on low-noise amplifiers, oscillators and phase noise have been significantly expanded as well. The chapter on architectures now contains several examples of complete chip designs that bring together all the various theoretical and practical elements involved in producing a prototype chip. First Edition Hb (1998): 0-521-63061-4 First Edition Pb (1998); 0-521-63922-0

The Design of CMOS Radio-Frequency Integrated Circuits: RF CIRCUITS THROUGH THE AGES

This paper provides evidence that, as a result of constant-field scaling, the peak f T (approx. 0.3 mA/μm), peak f MAX (approx. 0.2 mA/μm), and optimum noise figure NF MIN (approx. 0.15 mA/pm) current densities of Si and SOI n-channel MOSFETs are largely unchanged over technology nodes and foundries. It is demonstrated that the characteristic current densities also remain invariant for the most common circuit topologies such as MOSFET cascodes, MOS-SiGe HBT cascodes, current-mode logic (CML) gates, and nMOS transimpedance amplifiers (TIAs) with active pMOSFET loads. As a consequence, it is proposed that constant current-density biasing schemes be applied to MOSFET analog/mixed-signal/RF and high-speed digital circuit design. This will alleviate the problem of ever-diminishing effective gate voltages as CMOS is scaled below 90 nm, and will reduce the impact of statistical process variation, temperature and bias current variation on circuit performance. The second half of the paper illustrates that constant current-density biasing allows for the porting of SiGe BiCMOS cascode operational amplifiers, low-noise CMOS TIAs, and MOS-CML and BiCMOS-CML logic gates and output drivers between technology nodes and foundries, and even from bulk CMOS to SOI processes, with little or no redesign. Examples are provided of several record-setting circuits such as: 1) SiGe BiCMOS operational amplifiers with up to 37-GHz unity gain bandwidth; 2) a 2.5-V SiGe BiCMOS high-speed logic chip set consisting of 49-GHz retimer, 40-GHz TIAs, 80-GHz output driver with pre-emphasis and output swing control; and 3) 1-V 90-nm bulk and SOI CMOS TIAs with over 26-GHz bandwidth, less than 8-dB noise figure and operating at data rates up to 38.8 Gb/s. Such building blocks are required for the next generation of low-power 40-80 Gb/s wireline transceivers.

The invariance of characteristic current densities in nanoscale MOSFETs and its impact on algorithmic design methodologies and design porting of Si(Ge) (Bi)CMOS high-speed building blocks

This paper provides evidence that, as a result of constant-field scaling, the peak fT (approx. 0.3 mA/mum), peak fMAX (approx. 0.2 mA/mum), and optimum noise figure NFMIN (approx. 0.15 mA/mum) current densities of Si and SOI n-channel MOSFETs are largely unchanged over technology nodes and foundries. It is demonstrated that the characteristic current densities also remain invariant for the most common circuit topologies such as MOSFET cascodes, MOS-SiGe HBT cascodes, current-mode logic (CML) gates, and nMOS transimpedance amplifiers (TIAs) with active pMOSFET loads. As a consequence, it is proposed that constant current-density biasing schemes be applied to MOSFET analog/mixed-signal/RF and high-speed digital circuit design. This will alleviate the problem of ever-diminishing effective gate voltages as CMOS is scaled below 90 nm, and will reduce the impact of statistical process variation, temperature and bias current variation on circuit performance. The second half of the paper illustrates that constant current-density biasing allows for the porting of SiGe BiCMOS cascode operational amplifiers, low-noise CMOS TIAs, and MOS-CML and BiCMOS-CML logic gates and output drivers between technology nodes and foundries, and even from bulk CMOS to SOI processes, with little or no redesign. Examples are provided of several record-setting circuits such as: 1) SiGe BiCMOS operational amplifiers with up to 37-GHz unity gain bandwidth; 2) a 2.5-V SiGe BiCMOS high-speed logic chip set consisting of 49-GHz retimer, 40-GHz TIAs, 80-GHz output driver with pre-emphasis and output swing control; and 3) 1-V 90-nm bulk and SOI CMOS TIAs with over 26-GHz bandwidth, less than 8-dB noise figure and operating at data rates up to 38.8 Gb/s. Such building blocks are required for the next generation of low-power 40-80 Gb/s wireline transceivers

The Invariance of Characteristic Current Densities in Nanoscale MOSFETs and Its Impact on Algorithmic Design Methodologies and Design Porting of Si(Ge) (Bi)CMOS High-Speed Building Blocks

This paper presents a directly modulated, 60 GHz zero-IF transceiver architecture suitable for single-carrier, low-power, multi-gigabit wireless links in nanoscale CMOS technologies. This mm-wave front end architecture requires no upconversion of the baseband signals in the transmitter and no analog-to-digital conversion in the receiver, thus minimizing system complexity and power consumption. All circuit blocks are realized using sub-1.0 V topologies, that feature only a single high-frequency transistor between the supply and ground, and which are scalable to future 45 nm, 32 nm, and 22 nm CMOS nodes. The transceiver is fabricated in a 65 nm CMOS process with a digital back-end. It includes a receiver with 14.7 dB gain and 5.6 dB noise figure, a 60 GHz LO distribution tree, a 69 GHz static frequency divider, and a direct BPSK modulator operating over the 55-65 GHz band at data rates exceeding 6 Gb/s. With both the transmitter and the receiver turned on, the chip consumes 374 mW from 1.2 V which reduces to 232 mW for a 1.0 V supply. It occupies 1.28 times 0.81 mm2. The transceiver and its building blocks were characterized over temperature up to 85deg C and for power supplies down to 1 V. A manufacturability study of 60 GHz radio circuits is presented with measurements of transistors, the low-noise amplifier, and the receiver on slow, typical, and fast process splits. The transceiver architecture and performance were validated in a 1-6 Gb/s 2-meter wireless transmit-receive link over the 55-64 GHz range.

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A Zero-IF 60 GHz 65 nm CMOS Transceiver With Direct BPSK Modulation Demonstrating up to 6 Gb/s Data Rates Over a 2 m Wireless Link

A new method to directly extract the MOSFET small-signal parameters ncluding non-quasi-static effects - from Z and Y parameter measurements is presented. This technique is employed to generate a scalable BSIM3v3 model valid for standard, low and high-threshold p- and n-channel MOSFETs at frequencies up to 50 GHz. The model accurately captures cutoff frequency degradation for unit gate finger widths below 1 /spl mu/m and was employed to verify the measured jitter of a 10-Gb/s MOS-CML output driver.

Direct extraction methodology for geometry-scalable RF-CMOS models

Scalable models for both active and passive components are essential for the design of highly integrated fiber–optic physical layer ICs. This paper focuses on the various technology options available of 10 Gb/s and 40 Gb/s applications, on how their constituent components are modeled and what the characteristics and requirements are for the basic building blocks. As part of the technology comparison, an overview of the performance of leading edge Si CMOS, SiGe BiCMOS and III–V technologies is presented. Scalable models for SiGe HBTs and GaAs p–HEMTs are then compared with measured data for various device sizes. Inductors, varactors, transmission lines and isolation techniques on Si and III–V substrates are discussed next followed by technology–specific implementations of VCO and digital building blacks. Finally, Transimpedance Limiting Amplifier (TIALA) as well as laser and modulator driver designs in SiGe BiCMOS, InP HBT and GaAs p–HEMT processes using scalable device models are illustrated for 10 and 40 Gb/s fiber-optics applications.

A COMPARISON OF SILICON AND III–V TECHNOLOGY PERFORMANCE AND BUILDING BLOCK IMPLEMENTATIONS FOR 10 AND 40 Gb/s OPTICAL NETWORKING ICs

A millimeter-wave (mm-wave) system architecture with enhanced-gain antenna solution is proposed for fifth-generation (5G) wireless communications. To enhance the antenna gain, the surface wave currents are converted to constructive far-field radiations through a novel two-stage metallic and dielectric rings. By applying low-profile dielectric ring, the electric near-field distributions of the grounded quarter-wavelength metallic ring are modified to create radiation apertures with appropriate polarization and orientation. The mutual coupling between transmit/receive antennas and cross polarizations is reduced by 7 and 5 dB, respectively, and the gain is enhanced over 4 dB. Low-loss mm-wave transitions are implemented in a standard FR-4 printed circuit board and in an interposer substrate to integrate the active antenna with the rest of the wireless system on a compact universal serial bus (USB)-interface platform. To evaluate the interposer package and define the output power of the embedded 60-GHz RF IC, an evaluation module with a standard WR-15 waveguide interface is designed and implemented. A prototype of the architecture, which is entirely realized using low-cost organic substrates, is presented and evaluated by experiments. Excellent correlations are achieved between simulations and measurements, demonstrating more than 25 dBm of equivalent isotropically radiated power (EIRP) over the unlicensed 60-GHz frequency band.

M. Tazlauanu

Papers

The invariance of characteristic current densities in nanoscale MOSFETs and its impact on algorithmic design methodologies and design porting of Si(Ge) (Bi)CMOS high-speed building blocks

The Invariance of Characteristic Current Densities in Nanoscale MOSFETs and Its Impact on Algorithmic Design Methodologies and Design Porting of Si(Ge) (Bi)CMOS High-Speed Building Blocks

Direct extraction methodology for geometry-scalable RF-CMOS models

A COMPARISON OF SILICON AND III–V TECHNOLOGY PERFORMANCE AND BUILDING BLOCK IMPLEMENTATIONS FOR 10 AND 40 Gb/s OPTICAL NETWORKING ICs

A mm-Wave 5G System Architecture With Enhanced-Gain Antenna Solution