This article presents a 135–155-GHz low-power and high-efficiency frequency multiply-by-9 (x9) frequency-modulated continuous-wave (FMCW) radar transmitter (TX). Starting from a 16-GHz frequency-chirping input signal, cascaded frequency triplers at V -band (40–75 GHz) and D -band (110–170 GHz) bring the signal to the D -band, subsequently amplified and radiated via a power amplifier (PA) and an on-chip antenna at D -band. The D -band PA with a reduced gain of transistors at fmax /2 proposes a broadband gain-boosting technique, achieving a maximum achievable gain ( Gmax ) for broad frequency range with high-order embedding passives. The x9 chain proposes phase-controlled frequency triplers that align the phase of each harmonic contribution and boost the third harmonic output power, conversion gain, and dc-to-RF efficiency. Implemented in a 28-nm CMOS process, the TX achieves a measured effective isotropic radiated power (EIRP) of 9.4 dBm, a dc-EIRP efficiency of 16.6\% while exhibiting an antenna gain de-embedded output power of 7.1 dBm, and a dc-to-RF efficiency of 9.7\% with less than 77-mW dc power consumption.
Park, S, Park, D-W, Vaesen, K, Kankuppe, A, Sinha, S, van Liempd, B, Wambacq, P & Craninckx, J 2022, 'A D-Band Low-Power and High-Efficiency Frequency Multiply-by-9 FMCW Radar Transmitter in 28-nm CMOS', IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits, vol. 57, no. 7, pp. 2114-2129. https://doi.org/10.1109/JSSC.2022.3157643
Park, S., Park, D.-W., Vaesen, K., Kankuppe, A., Sinha, S., van Liempd, B., Wambacq, P., & Craninckx, J. (2022). A D-Band Low-Power and High-Efficiency Frequency Multiply-by-9 FMCW Radar Transmitter in 28-nm CMOS. IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits, 57(7), 2114-2129. https://doi.org/10.1109/JSSC.2022.3157643
@article{ddcb2aa4209a4c3987b2c278989dc8a9,
title = "A D-Band Low-Power and High-Efficiency Frequency Multiply-by-9 FMCW Radar Transmitter in 28-nm CMOS",
abstract = "This article presents a 135–155-GHz low-power and high-efficiency frequency multiply-by-9 (x9) frequency-modulated continuous-wave (FMCW) radar transmitter (TX). Starting from a 16-GHz frequency-chirping input signal, cascaded frequency triplers at V -band (40–75 GHz) and D -band (110–170 GHz) bring the signal to the D -band, subsequently amplified and radiated via a power amplifier (PA) and an on-chip antenna at D -band. The D -band PA with a reduced gain of transistors at fmax /2 proposes a broadband gain-boosting technique, achieving a maximum achievable gain ( Gmax ) for broad frequency range with high-order embedding passives. The x9 chain proposes phase-controlled frequency triplers that align the phase of each harmonic contribution and boost the third harmonic output power, conversion gain, and dc-to-RF efficiency. Implemented in a 28-nm CMOS process, the TX achieves a measured effective isotropic radiated power (EIRP) of 9.4 dBm, a dc-EIRP efficiency of 16.6\% while exhibiting an antenna gain de-embedded output power of 7.1 dBm, and a dc-to-RF efficiency of 9.7\% with less than 77-mW dc power consumption.",
keywords = "Radar, Radar antennas, Gain, Transistors, System-on-chip, Radar cross-sections, Dipole antennas, Amplifier, CMOS, dual-peak, frequency tripler, frequency-modulated continuous-wave (FMCW) radar transmitter (TX), gain boosting, maximum achievable gain (Gmax), terahertz (THz)",
author = "Sehoon Park and Dae-Woong Park and Kristof Vaesen and Anirudh Kankuppe and Siddhartha Sinha and \{van Liempd\}, Barend and Piet Wambacq and Jan Craninckx",
note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 1966-2012 IEEE. Copyright: Copyright 2022 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.",
year = "2022",
month = jul,
doi = "10.1109/JSSC.2022.3157643",
language = "English",
volume = "57",
pages = "2114--2129",
journal = "IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits",
issn = "0018-9200",
publisher = "Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.",
number = "7",
}