60GHz Radios: Enabling Next-Generation Wireless Applications

Up to 7 GHz of continuous bandwidth centred around 60 GHz has been allocated worldwide for license free wireless communications. Highly attenuated due to oxygen absorption and small in wavelength, this band is ideal for extremely high data rate wireless data applications. These include numerous WPAN/WLAN applications such as home multimedia streaming. Traditional RF circuits used in this band are based on expensive compound semiconductor technologies. However for viable consumer applications, alternatives must be found. SiGe and CMOS based circuits are showing promise for enabling this technology at a price within reach of the consumer. This paper summarises a joint project aimed at developing high rate consumer level mm-wave wireless data systems. In particular, results to date in our RF design efforts are summarised.