A SiGe BiCMOS 16-element phased-array transmitter for 60GHz communications

The demonstration of multi-Gb/s links in the 60GHz band has created new opportunities for wireless communications [1,2]. Due to the directional nature of millimeter-wave (mm-Wave) propagation, beam steering enables longer-range non-line-of-sight (NLOS) links at these frequencies. A phased-array architecture is attractive for an integrated 60GHz transmitter (Tx) since it can attain both beam steering and higher EIRP through spatial combining. An all-RF 16-element 40-to-45GHz Tx for satellite applications [3], a 6-element 60GHz Tx with IF-path phase-shift [4], and a bi-directional 4-element 60GHz Tx/Rx with RF phase shifters [5] have been recently demonstrated in silicon. This work presents a fully-integrated phased-array Tx which supports multi-Gb/s NLOS IEEE 802.15.3c links. In addition to beamsteering, the IC has the following major features: an on-chip power sensor at each element, 3 temperature sensors, LO leakage and I/Q phase and amplitude adjustment, front-end OP
1dB
programmability, and an integrated modulator for pi/2-BPSK/MSK signaling (common mode in 802.15.3c). The IC integrates 2240 NPNs, 323,000 FETs and hundreds of transmission lines and is fabricated in the IBM 8HP 0.12µm SiGe BiCMOS process (f
T
= 200GHz).