A 12mW 70-to-100GHz mixer-first receiver front-end for mm-wave massive-MIMO arrays in 28nm CMOS

Multi-user multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems are promising enablers for high-capacity wireless access in next-generation mobile networks. Leveraging antenna arrays at the access point, narrow beams can be steered to different users simultaneously, enhancing spectral efficiency through spatial multiplexing. By employing a number of array elements, M, much larger than the number of users, K, (i.e. massive MIMO), simple linear beamforming algorithms can achieve nearly optimal operation [1]. Operating massive MIMO systems at mm-waves results in compact antenna arrays and wide channel bandwidths. Within the available spectrum, the E-Band communication bandwidth (71 to 76GHz, 81 to 86GHz, and 92 to 95GHz) has recently gained attention for both access and wireless backhaul, due to low oxygen attenuation.