Distributed Modeling of Six-Port Transformer for Millimeter-Wave SiGe BiCMOS Circuits Design

In this paper, a six-port distributed model of on-chip single-turn transformers in silicon that can predict the features of the transformers up to 200 GHz is presented. Moreover, the proposed model is scalable with the diameter of the transformer. Based on the developed model, a transformer balun with improved differential-port balance is deployed in a D-band up-conversion mixer design in 0.13-μm SiGe BiCMOS technology. The mixer achieves a measured conversion gain (CG) of 4 ~ 7 dB and local-oscillator-to-RF isolation over 30 dB from 110 to 140 GHz. The results have one of the best CGs in the millimeter-wave range. A D-band two-stage transformer-coupled power amplifier (PA) integrated with a mixer is also reported here. Using the six-port transformer model, the performance of the PA can be conveniently optimized. At a 2-V supply, the gain and saturated output power of 20 dB and 8 dBm, respectively, are both experimentally achieved at 127 GHz. At 3 V, the measured output power rose to 11 dBm and this is the best power performance among the reported D-band silicon-based amplifiers to date.

[1]  J. Burghartz,et al.  Substrate effects in monolithic RF transformers on silicon , 2002 .

[2]  D. Belot,et al.  An Analytical Broadband Model for Millimeter-Wave Transformers in Silicon Technologies , 2012, IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices.

[3]  John R. Long,et al.  A 58–65 GHz Neutralized CMOS Power Amplifier With PAE Above 10% at 1-V Supply , 2010, IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits.

[4]  Yong-Zhong Xiong,et al.  A D-Band Cascode Amplifier With 24.3 dB Gain and 7.7 dBm Output Power in 0.13 $\mu$m SiGe BiCMOS Technology , 2012, IEEE Microwave and Wireless Components Letters.

[5]  P. Reynaert,et al.  Design Considerations for 60 GHz Transformer-Coupled CMOS Power Amplifiers , 2009, IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits.

[6]  Huei Wang,et al.  A Compact 60 GHz Integrated Up-Converter Using Miniature Transformer Couplers With 5 dB Conversion Gain , 2008, IEEE Microwave and Wireless Components Letters.

[7]  Munkyo Seo,et al.  A 150 GHz Amplifier With 8 dB Gain and $+$6 dBm $P_{\rm sat}$ in Digital 65 nm CMOS Using Dummy-Prefilled Microstrip Lines , 2009, IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits.

[8]  V. Tripathi.  Asymmetric Coupled Transmission Lines in an Inhomogeneous Medium , 1975 .

[9]  K. C. Gupta,et al.  A generalized model for coupled lines and its applications to two-layer planar circuits , 1992 .

[10]  Kai Kang,et al.  A New Six-Port Transformer Modeling Methodology Applied to 10-dBm 60-GHz CMOS ASK Modulator Designs , 2010, IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques.

[11]  Kun-Hung Tsai,et al.  Mode Symmetry Analysis and Design of CMOS Synthetic Coupled Transmission Lines , 2011, IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques.

[12]  H.-Y. Chang,et al.  A 9-50-GHz Gilbert-cell down-conversion mixer in 0.13-/spl mu/m CMOS technology , 2006, IEEE Microwave and Wireless Components Letters.

[13]  William Shieh,et al.  60 GHz double-balanced up-conversion mixer on 130 nm CMOS technology , 2008 .

[14]  Yong-Zhong Xiong,et al.  A D-Band Power Amplifier with 30-GHz Bandwidth and 4.5-dBm Psat for High-Speed Communication System , 2010 .

[15]  J.R. Long,et al.  Shielded passive devices for silicon-based monolithic microwave and millimeter-wave integrated circuits , 2006, IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits.

[16]  Jeng-Han Tsai,et al.  Design of 40–108-GHz Low-Power and High-Speed CMOS Up-/Down-Conversion Ring Mixers for Multistandard MMW Radio Applications , 2012, IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques.

[17]  V. Subramanian,et al.  A 60 GHz Monolithic Upconversion Mixer in SiGe HBT Technology , 2007, 2007 IEEE International Workshop on Radio-Frequency Integration Technology.

[18]  Qun Jane Gu,et al.  A Three Stage, Fully Differential 128–157 GHz CMOS Amplifier with Wide Band Matching , 2011, IEEE Microwave and Wireless Components Letters.

[19]  B. Zhang,et al.  0.7-dB Insertion-Loss D-Band Lange Coupler Design and Characterization in 0.13 μm SiGe BiCMOS Technology , 2010 .

[20]  Y. Baeyens,et al.  A W-Band Highly Linear SiGe BiCMOS Double-Balanced Active Up-Conversion Mixer Using Multi-Tanh Triplet Technique , 2010, IEEE Microwave and Wireless Components Letters.

[21]  Hong-Yeh Chang,et al.  A 9–50-GHz Gilbert-Cell Down-Conversion Mixer in 0.13- m CMOS Technology , 2009 .