Challenges in Modeling, Design, and Characterization of ... · PDF fileChallenges in Modeling,...

Challenges in Modeling, Design, and Characterization of Terahertz

Circuits in Silicon Ullrich Pfeiffer

University of Wuppertal, Germany

[email protected]

WS12: EuMIC - SiGe for mm-Wave and THz

SiGe for mm-Wave and THz 2 September 6, 2015

Outline

Introduction – Motivation and challenges at THz frequencies – How to bridge the THz Gap with silicon circuits?

1. Circuit modeling and characterization methodologies up to 1 THz 2. Building blocks for mmWave and THz systems

– LNAs, multiplier chains, PA/sources, harmonic oscillators

3. mmWave/THz systems and applications – 240GHz SiGe chip-set – 240GHz SiGe FMCW radar chipset – 0.16 – 1 THz Multicolor imaging chipset – 0.1 – 4 THz CMOS video camera – 1 mW 530 GHz SiGe source

Summary and conclusion


Where could we use silicon? A

tten

uat

ion

[d

B/k

m]


Why Silicon for terahertz?

• III/V dominated – High performance – Low volume production – Low integration level

• Silicon technologies – Low performance in comparison

with III/V – Enable system-on-chip – Low power consumption – Reduced cost at high volumes

http://www.teraview.com

H. Sherry et. al, ISSCC 2012


SiGe HBT Technology Evolution S

iGe H

BT

peak c

uto

ff f

req

uen

cy [

GH

z]

1995 2000 2005 2010

100

200

300

400

SiGe:C

2nd

3rd

4th

1st

SiGe HBT

R&D Today

60GHz Com. 77GHz Radar

mmWave THz Imaging

Radar

3.3V

2.4V

1.7V

1.5V

2015

“THz electronics”

160GHz Com. /Radar

5th

500

600

700 1.5V DotSeven


Circuit Design Challenge Circuit = Transistor + Passives + Interconnects + Complexity

1. Silicon Transistor: – HBT/BSIM model accuracy → circuit simulation – Variability of evaluation technology → circuit simulation – Low breakdown voltages → power challenge – Frequencies close to fmax → performance challenge

2. Complex circuits/systems: – Many HBT, passives, interconnects → Complex EM modelling – Complex test – Mixed Signals → X-talk

3. Passives: – Conductive substrate → Substrate losses – High dielectric constant → Absorbs the fields – Poor metal conductivity → Fill & cheese rules

4. Interconnects: – Packaging → material losses, chip-scale – Small antennas → efficiency, low-loss interconnects

6


Characterization methodologies

up to 1 THz


Typical measurements to be done…

• Small-signal S-parameters – Wafer probing only up to 500GHz – Only free-space reflection/transmission mode

measurements above 500GHz possible

• Spectrum and freq. conversion measurements – Free-space, standard gain horns, harmonic mixers

• Absolute radiated power measurements – Calibrated power meters/calorimeters

• Noise figure measurements – Noise sources, hot/cold standards, direct method

• Antenna pattern measurements


The Wafer Probing Challenge

Coaxial wafer probes

• 1-mm connector

• No differential

probes

110-500 GHz

DC-110 GHz Above 500 GHz

Waveguide probes

• Multiple bands

• Adapted probe-

station

Free-space optics

• On-chip antennas

• Calibration difficult


Optical Transmission/Reflection Measurements

Four mirror optical bench

Need THz detectors to measure amplitude and

phase

Need high power phase stable THz

sources


Power Measurements - Waveguide

• Waveguide calorimeter

• Overmoded WR10

• Freq. 75 GHz to visible

• Power up to 200 mW

• Noise down to 0.01 uW

• Lack of traceable calibration

Erickson PM4

Power Sensor,

Picture courtesy

Virginia Diodes Inc. DUT

Wafer Probe

Waveguide

Power Meter Head

Bolometer

Output-power measurements of TX, PA, VCO and freq. multipliers


Power Measurements – Free Space

• Free-space power meter – Large aperture – Photo-acoustic detector

• Needs chopped input signal • Freq. 30 GHz to > 3 THz • NEP < 5 uW/Hz½

• Good absolute accuracy (<10%) • Horn antenna needed for probe measurements

Photo-acoustic

power-meter head

Primary use: Calibrated absolute power measurements

DUT

Wafer Probe

Waveguide

Power meter


Where is the Source Problem?

[1] T. Crow et.al., “Opening the Terahertz Window With Integrated Diode Circuits”, JSSCC 2005

Photonics Electronics

HBTs Impatt Gunn

Multipl.

Lasers LEDs

QC Lasers

Cryogenic Cooling

20dB/decade


Roadmap to bridge the THz gap

fmax (500GHz)

Frequency DC

1/3 fmax (165GHz)

below fmax beyond fmax

Fun

dam

enta

l

2x (320GHz)

Fundamentally operated

Sub-harmonically operated

4x 650GHz

~1/10 fmax (PVT robust)

5x 825GHz

6x 1THz

2x fmax (1THz)


Gain-enhanced signal amplification LNA cascodes in

0.13μm SiGe (EuMIC14, IJMWT15)


Two Port of an Enhanced Cascode

Intrinsic Shunt-Shunt Feedback

[1] S. Malz et al, EuMIC 2014 and IJMWT15 (submitted)

Extrinsic Series-Series Feedback


Infineon & IHP Amplifier Schematics

• Infineon 212 GHz 4-stage Amplifier

• 𝑓𝑇/𝑓𝑚𝑎𝑥 = 250/400 GHz • Gain: 19.5 dB • BW: 21 GHz • 65 mA @ 3.3 V

• IHP 230 GHz 4-stage LNA • 𝑓𝑇/𝑓𝑚𝑎𝑥 = 300/450 GHz • Gain: 22.5 dB • BW: 10 GHz • NF: 12.5 dB (sim.) • 17 mA @ 4 V


Infineon & IHP measurement results

• Both amplifiers show ≥ 20 dB gain in H-Band

• High reverse isolation attests stability in both cases

• Design methodology described in detail in IJMWT EuMW14 special issue


235-275 GHz (x16) Frequency Multiplier Chains

(RFIC14)


x16 Frequency Multiplier Chain

• x16 frequency multiplier • Wideband LO drive for

I/Q Tx and Rx chipset • 4 cascaded Gilbert-cell

based doublers • In-phase multiplication

eliminate lossy quad generation circuit

• DC-offset generated is eliminated using interstage decoupling capacitors.

[1] N. Sarmah et al, RFIC 2014


Version 1

Version 2

Measured Results

• RF bandwidth 40 GHz • x16 alone: Peak power -8 dBm • x16+PA: Peak power 0 dBm • Not corrected for 2.5 dB balun

loss.


A broadband 240 GHz power source module in SiGe technology

with polarization diversity (accepted EuMW15)


Chip layout and packaging

2.2 x 1.45 mm2

Module assembly with a 7-mm silicon lens

Simulated input match and isolation between 2 channels

Simulated amplitude imbalance better than 0.13dB Simulated axial ratio better than 1.3

for quadrature excitation


Measured results

Peak radiated power: 4.06 dBm at 243 GHz and in excess of -10 dBm for 221-275 GHz

Measured patterns at 250 GHz

Directivity: 23.5 – 25.5 in band with a 7-mm silicon lens Power dissipation: 1.4W Chip temperature: 39ºC measured with the IR camera


A 246 GHz fundamental source with a peak output power of 2.8

dBm (accepted EuMW15)


Block Diagram Circuit Diagram

246 GHz fundamental source

• Fundamental 246 GHz oscillator based source • Potential applications e.g. non-coherent communication

and diffused illumination • Circuit topology: 246 GHz oscillator, CB buffer, 3-stage PA

[1] N. Sarmah et al, (accepted EuMW 2015)


Measurement Results

• Chip area is 0.35875 mm2

• Pout at 246 GHz is 2.8 dBm and DC-RF efficiency is 0.43%. This is without correcting for 2.5 dB balun loss

• Pout from oscillator alone is -4.2 dBm (correcting for 10 dB PA gain and 2.5 dB pad and balun loss). DC-RF efficiency is 1.26%


Fundamentally operated 240 GHz IQ Tx and Rx Chip-Set


240GHz I/Q Tx/Rx Chip-Set

• Direct conversion I/Q Rx/Tx chip set

• Fully integrated packaged system

• Flexible secondary lens antenna system for FMCW, communication, imaging etc.


Chip Micrographs

• TX: 1.695 mm2 including antenna and pad • RX: 1.568 mm2 including antenna and pad


Measured Results

• TX: 21 dBm EIRP with -4dBm Psat • RX: SSB NF 15dB with 10dB CG

TX RX


Link Demonstration

• About 65GHz usable RF BW • 17GHz 6-dB RF BW


210-270GHz FMCW Radar Chip-Set

(accepted EuRAD15)


210-270GHz Radar Transceiver Chip

• External 13-17 GHz reference

• 2.9×1.1-mm² implemented in SiGe technology.

• Packaged with secondary silicon lens

• Low-cost FR4 boards

K. Statnikov et al, EuRAD 2015 (accepted)



• Active cooling

• 9mm Si-lens @29°C



• corner reflector at a distance of 40cm • First and second echo peaks in IF spectrum • measured range resolution reaches 2.75mm

(54GHz chirp BW)


0.16 – 1.1 THz Multi-Color Imaging Chip-Sets

(TMTT 14)


THz Harmonic Generator

4.0 x 0.8 mm² TX chip

4 freq. mult. Stages

4 ring antennas for spatial power combining

[1] K. Statnikov et al, „160GHz to 1THz Multi-Color Active Imaging with a Lens-Coupled SiGe HBT Chip-Set”, TMTT accepted for publication, Dec. 2014


TX: harmonic generator circuit

• Differential stage Q1/Q2 pumped with a 164GHz RF signal • Output tank L1/L2 and C1/C2 tuned to 825GHz center frequency • Simulated output power -25dBm with an 8dBm input signal


Rx Harmonic receiver array

2.3 x 0.6 mm² RX chip

2x2 receiver array

Angular diversity / Multiple

beams


RX: Harmonic mixer front-end circuit

• Differential 825-GHz RF from antenna mixes in Q1/Q2 with the 5th harmonic of the 162-GHz common-mode LO signal

• Simulated conversion gain = -15 dB (0dBm LO)


Measured Rx Results

• <10% fractional RF BW, but at multiple harmonics!

• 45 dB SSB NF

RX board

10cm


Measured Tx Results

• <10% fractional RF BW, but at multiple harmonics!

• 0dBm EIRP, -25dBm Prad

Transmitter board

10cm


IF Spectrum

Only one image scan required to capture odd harmonics at 0.16, 0.48,

and 0.82 THz

Cross-polarization is also available at 0.32, 0.64, 0.96 THz


Chip-set SNR at six harm. bands

Image data can be

acquired in one

single scan!

Chip-set SNR @5th

harmonic:

~90dB


Multi-Color Images


THz CMOS cameras are available today!


World’s first active CMOS THz camera

Key features:

• Active THz real-time imaging at room temperature

• 1024 (32x32) pixels

• 65nm CMOS Bulk technology

• 2.5µW/pixel power consumption

• 0.75-1 THz (3-dB) bandwidth

• 40dBi Silicon lens for stand-off detection

• Up to 500 fps video mode – 100-200kV/W (856GHz)

– 10-20nW integr. NEP (856GHz)

• Non video-mode: – 140kV/W Rv (856GHz, 5kHz chop.)

– 100pW/�√Hz NEP (856GHz, 5kHz chop.)

[1] R. Al Hadi et al „A 1 k-Pixel Video Camera for 0.7-1.1 Terahertz Imaging Applications in 65-nm CMOS“, Dec. 2012

Live demo at the Academic Demo Session (ADS) at the ISSCC 2012


Camera Block Diagram

• No lock-in techniques

• zero-IF output

• integration capacitors per

pixel

• 500 fps video-rate

• Columns share active

loads


Video Demo at the ISSCC


Focal-plane Imaging

Source needs to illuminate whole object simultaneously


Video Streaming Demo

• Transmission mode imaging of metal wrench hidden in paper envelope

• Video stream recorded at 25fps

• 650 GHz source illumination


How do we create the THz illumination?


Diffuse THz Illumination

Stochastically independent source pattern destroys illumination phase coherence

530GHz


Circuit Block Diagram

4x4 pixel source array with adjustable lighting condition

Synchronous latched shift register in meander-type structure

Circuit layout scalable in size and output power

16 output registers drive TPO power-down switch, configurable at runtime

Fully integrated including on-chip antennas

[1] U.R. Pfeiffer at al, „A 0.53 THz Reconfigurable Source Module With Up to 1 mW Radiated Powerfor Diffuse Illumination in Terahertz Imaging Applications“, JSSC Oct. 2014


Core TPO Circuit Schematic

Two TPOs locked 180deg out of phase to drive antenna

Ring Antenna

Impedance matching network


Illustration of the Locking Fundamental Phase Diagrams

TPO1

3rd Harmonic Phase Diagrams

0°

240°

120°

TPO2

0°

x3 x3

+180°

180°

60°

300°

180°

differential to antenna


Chip Micrograph

Honeycomb tessellation to save die area

Total die area of 2x2.1mm2 for all 16 source pixel

510µm pitch

2.0 mm

2.1

mm

Secondary

antenna

(off-chip) Si lens

chip


Measured Total Power (all on)

Full array can deliver up to 1mW (0dBm) RF power DC to RF conversion efficiency is 0.4 to 1‰ Draws up to 2.5W from a 2.5V supply

up to 1mW


Measured Antenna Patterns

Pattern depend

on the

secondary

antenna

Other lenses can

be used to fit

application

requirements

Side lobes are

15dB down

Loaded source configurations for 16, 7, 4, and 1pixel

Power down switching time is 0.5ns

16 beams cover a ±15º field-of-view



Pattern depend

on the

secondary

antenna

Other lenses can

be used to fit

application

requirements

Side lobes are

15dB down





Recorded Illumination

Single beams Diffused background


Summary and Conclusions

• Applications – RF to THz: Sensors, Radar, Communication, Imaging …

• Technology – Faster Silicon: SiGe BiCMOS, advanced CMOS – Accurate device models required (up to 1THz!)

• Sources – Power, low noise, oscillators …

• Detectors – Heterodyne, direct detection

• Antennas – Integrated

• Packaging and assembly – Integrated antennas


Thanks

• Designer: Janusz Grzyb, Neelanjan Sarmah, Konstantin Statnikov, Stefan Malz, Ritesh Jain, Pedro Rodriguez Vazquez, Richard Al Hadi, Hani Sherry, Ullrich Pfeiffer

• The work was partially funded by the European Commission within the project DOTSEVEN (no. 316755 ).

• IHP Microelectronics, Frankfurt-(Oder), Germany • Infineon Technologies • ST Microelectronics

http://www.esf.org/home.html

Challenges in Modeling, Design, and Characterization of ... · PDF fileChallenges in Modeling,...

Documents

Transcript of Challenges in Modeling, Design, and Characterization of ... · PDF fileChallenges in Modeling,...