Featured

WINLAB Seminar - Deuk Hyoun Heo "Advanced Technologies for Highly Integrated RFIC Module for..."



Published
Title: "Advanced Technologies for Highly Integrated RFIC Module for Future Wireless Communications"

Date: January 22, 2003 1:30 PM

Speaker: Deuk Hyoun Heo
Georgia Tech

Abstract:
Current wireless communications are evolving toward using higher frequency, and wider bandwidth and more functionality are needed to satisfy the growing demands of common users worldwide. Meeting the stringent system specifications of IEEE 802.11a-g, HIPERLAN II, 3G and 4G standards of emerging wireless communication while decreasing the cost of fabricating the RF-front-end, is becoming more and more challenging to the RF engineers. In recent years, the concept of System-On-Package is getting more attention as a RF front-end solution for comprehensive communication systems. The SOP approach is commonly defined as “ a complete single packaging RF module composed of embedded passives and MMIC chipset utilizing multiplayer packaging and interconnection technologies.” The SOP based RF front-end solution provides more flexibility to the RF designer, is more cost effective than discrete components and provides higher performance over fully-integrated System-On-Chip (SOC) solutions. The presentation demonstrates recent developments of RF modules based on the SOP concept and the multi-layer packaging technologies. CMOS and SiGe power amplifiers with different level of integration is implemented utilizing multi-layer low temperature co-fired ceramic(LTCC) high-Q passives. The inductor, capacitor libraries and harmonic suppression filters are implemented in a multi-layer LTCC substrate. Inductor Q is as high as 100. These high-Q, compact passives are integrated with low cost silicon based power amplifier. At the output stage, the harmonic suppression filter is provided to increase linearity and the output network has been implemented completely in LTCC without the use of external discrete components. Measured results of silicon based power amplifier are comparable to the performance of GaAs power amplifiers. These power amplifiers are ideal for integration into a compact, low cost silicon-based transceiver module. In addition, a very compact 3D-integration RF front-end module is designed, developed and measured for 802.11a wireless LAN application. The developed front-end MMIC includes a low noise amplifier (LNA), a power amplifier (PA), and a single-pole double-throw (SPDT) switch integrated. The measured performance of the front-end module is compliant to (with) the IEEE 802.11a RF standard. This is the first report on the design and characterization of the C-band PA-LNA-Switch integrated on a single chip with the embedded coupled line BPF in LTCC technology, and demonstrates the applicability of a system-on-package approach to achieve the stringent design challenges of modern wireless communication standards.
Category
Audio
Be the first to comment