IMS and RFIC Technical Sessions
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The pursuit of ubiquitous connectivity and the rapid evolution of wireless communication technologies such as 5G and mm-wave have spurred a growing demand for RF front-end design that can operate across a wide frequency spectrum for various communication standards. However, achieving highly reconfigurable transceivers for multiple communication standards and frequencies presents a series of challenges. Accommodating various frequency bands necessitates multiple bulky filters in both transmitter and receiver, leading to increased form factor, cost, and insertion loss. High-speed communications typically with high peak-to-average power ratios (PAPR) require more power backoff in power amplifier (PA) for good linearity while compromising transmitter efficiency. Moreover, ultra-high-speed communications such as 5G mm-wave call for ultra-low-jitter local oscillator (LO) and clock generation with fine frequency resolutions. This workshop focuses on addressing these challenges through the approaches of RF/analog/digital hybrid design techniques. Critical circuit topologies including RF digital-to-analog converter (RFDAC), digital power amplifier (DPA), N-path filter/mixer, magnet-free circulator, and fractional-N sub-sampling all-digital phase-locked loop (ADPLL) are presented. The audiences are invited to explore the integration of these techniques to achieve unified transceiver architectures with exceptional reconfigurability. Five prominent speakers from leading institutes and companies will present their latest works and share insights on the development of advanced RF front-end design. Two speakers will delve into the design of RFDACs and DPAs in high-efficiency transmitters. Afterwards, another two speakers will discuss N-path filters and mixers, as well as magnet-free circulators, for high-selectivity receivers and full-duplex transceivers. Finally, the fifth speaker will guide our attentions to the LO and clock generation, by presenting the design of ultra-low-jitter fractional-N all-digital sampling phase-locked loops. The workshop serves as a collaborative platform, bringing together experts from academia and industry to discuss and envision the future of highly reconfigurable transceiver IC design. Through the presentations and the panel discussion session, attendees will gain valuable insights into the cutting-edge techniques driving the development of RFIC design.
The 6G Telecom generation forecasts mm-wave and sub-THz applications as Fronthaul and Backhaul mm-wave and sub-THz wireless links; Reflective Intelligent Surface between mini-cell station and devices mainly in mm-wave frequency range; Short distance ultra-high data-rate mm-wave and sub-THz wireless data storage transfer; Automotive Joint communication and Sensing Radars; Health and Industrial mm-wave and sub-THz Radars and imagers; and other applications which are not yet defined. A Key challenge facing us is how to manage multi-processes dies with antennas integrated in the same object, reducing losses, and then increasing power efficiency and, at the same time targeting the cost efficiency. The workshop will discuss the trade-off Power Efficiency/Cost Efficiency of different 3D assembly strategies and will try to have a picture of the most promising research in the domain, through topics which will address as III-V GaN/Si and InP/Si, with SiGe and or CMOS Heterogeneous Integration; Wafer to Wafer; Die to Wafer, Backend of line co-integration; mm-wave sub-THz packaging, including Antenna integration, Si-Interposers, organic interposers, and other packaging 3D approach. The power efficiency can be defined as the max data rate ability, with the max distance covered by the transceiver over its power consumption, the cost efficiency is max data rate ability, with the max distance covered by the transceiver over its cost. This simple relation does not take into account the cooling equipment, if necessary, the reliability, and finally the environmental impact of the different strategies. These last points are difficult to quantify at the research level.
Emerging applications such as satellite-based internet, quantum computing, high-temperature sensors and communications systems, and massive Internet-of-Things (IoT) wireless networks are enabling disruptive advances in computational ability, global internet coverage, device-to-device communications, and industrial and military sensing abilities. However, all of these extreme environments require integrated circuits to operate well beyond environmental ranges and operating voltages provided by the standard Process Development Kits (PDK) and require a combination of design skills traditionally held in non-overlapping design communities. This workshop will bring together these design communities through experts from academia and industry to provide attendees with a holistic view on overcoming these challenges. Starting near zero Kelvin, the first talk will give an overview of circuit design at cryogenic temperatures including effects on devices, matching, and how to overcome these effects. Taking it hotter, the next talk will cover device effects operating well above 150C and ongoing research to enable high yield systems at these temperatures. Making the workshop RAD, the third talk will give an overview of radiation effects on CMOS circuits and ways to design RF and analog circuits to overcome these effects. Taking it out of this world, the fourth talk will cover challenges of both radiation and temperature effects found in space-based applications and design techniques to overcome these challenges. The final talk will cover dense wireless environments with high-power RF blockers pushing the limits of the supported process supply voltage and RFIC design techniques to filter and operate through this interference. To end the workshop, we will bring the experts together for cross-pollination of ideas through a panel interaction with attendees. Can this panel create a space radiation hardened, any temperature-stable, high-power handling device? … Come and find out!
The evolution of 5G and the need for increased capacity drive new transmitter requirements. Broadband and multiband operation requires the Power Amplifiers (PAs) to support a wider operating frequency range and high data rate require large instantaneous bandwidths, further extended by carrier aggregation, while delivering high power and maintaining high efficiency. Additionally, modern systems require complex modulation schemes exhibiting high Peak-to-Average-Power Ratio (PAPR) of more than 10dB. When operating at high Output-BackOff (OBO), Drain and Power Added Efficiency (DE and PAE) of traditional PA is typically low, with the majority of power dissipated in heat! New efficiency enhancement architectures and design techniques, from Waveform Engineering, to Load Modulation (Doherty, Outphasing and LMBA) and Supply Modulation (Envelope Tracking), have been explored in recent years. The desire for the widest possible operational bandwidth (operating frequency range) to reduce system complexity and cost is driving new broadband design techniques exploring broadband combining and broadband matching. This workshop will introduce recent trends in PA architectures, PA design and broadband matching techniques addressing the three major challenges listed above, ie wide operating bandwidth, wide instantaneous bandwidth, and large PAPR. We will look at design trade-offs to improve and maintain efficiency while satisfying system requirements which include ACLR, EVM, and other metrics for 5G New Radio (5GNR) waveforms. The concept of linearization and Digital Predistortion (DPD) will be introduced in the context of evaluating the PA performance with respect to system requirements. Experts from industry and academia that are at the frontline of these developments are invited to address these issues and inform the audience about the latest advances in this field.
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The growing field of quantum computing relies on a broad range of microwave technologies and has spurred development of microwave devices and methods in new operating regimes. But despite the significant progress made in the last decade in the science, engineering and characterization of quantum computation systems, several challenges remain to be overcome before quantum computation can become practically usable. One of the most promising quantum computing technologies is the superconducting quantum computing platform, which relies on microwave waveforms and devices to control and readout quantum bits, typically at cryogenic temperatures of tens of milli-kelvin. The advancement of quantum computing implies an increase in number of qubits within or across quantum processors leading to a significant increase in microwave cabling and components operating at such cryogenic temperatures to operate the quantum processors. This puts stringent requirements on heat-load, space, and signal integrity under these extreme temperatures. The challenges of realizing such practical large-scale quantum computing systems present microwave engineers and metrologists with opportunities in cryogenic microwave modeling, design, measurement, and characterization of cryogenic semiconductor and superconductor components, circuits, systems, and networks. This workshop reviews the existing microwave measurement and engineering challenges in realizing a practical quantum computer and addresses some of these challenges. The workshop includes talks from end-users, instrument and equipment manufacturers, academia, and national measurement labs from around the world.
This workshop gathers together world experts, research and industry leaders to report and discuss the latest RF/MW technology developments that continue to drive innovation in high-power applications in Aerospace & Defense, as well as in ISM. Specific areas of interest discussed in this workshop span from vacuum tubes (VEDs) to solid-state transistors for active devices, to circuit design and techniques, as well as specific applications that leverage the benefits of the evolving technology. This full-day workshop is geared towards practitioners in the high-power RF/MW aerospace, defense, industry, scientific and medical areas who want to gain a broader perspective on the latest technology developments as well as nuances specific to each different application. Novices and newcomers to the A&D and ISM industry will also gain a comprehensive exposure and understanding of the RF/MW landscape that drives innovation in this specific arena.
Recently, new research projects toward Space Based Solar Power (SBSP) and related beam Wireless Power Technology (WPT) are born simultaneously in the world. The SBSP was originally called a Solar Power Satellite (SPS) and it was proposed in 1968. The SBSP is a future power station in geostationary satellite orbit and the electricity generated in space is transmitted wirelessly via microwave beam to the ground. In the past 50 years, research and development projects toward the SBSP were carried out several times in US, in Japan, and in Europe. In each R&D project, new SBSPs were designed with the latest technology at the time. What is different now is that the industrial revolution is happening in parallel. For example the commercial WPT (both coupled WPT and far-field WPT) market has started in the past 10 years. Revolutionary start-up companies for space applications are developing. Based on changes in the business market, new R&D projects toward the SBSP have now started in US, in Japan, in Europe, in China, and in other countries. In this workshop, we focus on the new technologies and new R&D projects of the SBSP and related beam WPT R&Ds. The requirements of the beam WPT for the SBSP are accurate beam forming with a huge phased array, high-efficiency microwave transmitter/generators, novel high-efficiency devices, high-efficiency rectifiers with diodes, harmonization between the WPT beam and conventional wireless systems, and suppression of interference between the WPT beam and space plasma/atmosphere, etc. ITU-R (International Telecommunication Union Radiocommunication Sector) recommends frequencies suitable for commercial WPT, especially weak-powered wide-beam WPT in 2022. The Japanese government established new radio regulation of the weak-powered wide-beam WPT in 2022. Radio regulations are under discussion for beam WPT suitable not only for the SBSP but also for WPT aided drone, etc, which is the expected 2nd step of commercial WPT in the world. The WPT technologies introduced in this session are widely applicable both to the SBSP and to 2nd step commercial WPT.
With ever-increasing advances in the fields of the modern wireless technologies (eg 6G and radar systems), the design of compact and multi-functional transceivers to meet the stringent requirements demanded by such systems remains a great challenge. In this context, multi-functional RF integrated passive components (IPCs) are considered key building circuits for their development. These components are based on novel miniaturized structures and specific technologies that can be utilized for the implementation of RF, microwave, mm-wave, and THz wireless systems. This unique workshop focuses, for the first time, on the area of IPCs and their applications in the context of 6G wireless and radar scenarios by reporting recent research findings in this exciting field. This includes current progress in miniaturized RF passive components enabling multi-functional and adaptive radios from the aspects of thin-films integration (eg ferroelectric and ferromagnetic thin films), on-chip tuning techniques (eg diodes and transistors) and novel THz (eg f-band, D-band, etc) passive components with application in active circuits will be presented. Furthermore, state-of-the-art transmission line synthesis and development will be presented. In particular, the technique of mode diversity and mode composition will be explained and discussed with a number of examples, including an emerging concept of mode selectivity. Theoretical and experimental results will be presented in an effort to explore structural integration, physical agility, multifunctional operation, and performance enhancement of integrated transmission lines. In addition, multi-functional on-chip reflectionless components (eg CMOS and SiGe passives) and integrated antenna sub-system, along with hybrid acoustic-wave lumped-element microwave resonator technologies for the realization of advanced compact microwave filtering devices are described. Finally, the latest advances in the area of RF to THz passive micro-systems for multi-functional applications in 6G, radar system, and beyond, will also be presented.
Algorithms and processing pipelines based on Artificial-Intelligence (AI) and Machine-Learning (ML) techniques are on a solid trajectory to become an integral part of the next generation of wireless systems. While the exploration of AI/ML to RF applications started decades ago, their development has accelerated recently with the increasing availability of advanced AI knowledge, high-capacity compute infrastructure, and wireless testbeds for generation and training data sets. Nevertheless, the development of AI-enhanced wireless systems remains a challenging multi-disciplinary task, where EM, RF, IC design, signal processing, and ML expertise are all equally important. Emerging 6G wireless communications systems and mm-wave radar applications call for accelerated developments in this area. In particular, power consumption and latency requirements may require the implementation of optimized feature extraction methods in mixed-signal ICs closer to the antennas. The goal of this workshop is to bring together a set of active researchers to share their vision and expertise on these topics in order to bring a cross-disciplinary awareness and understanding among RFIC, AI, and systems communities. The speakers span academic and industrial research institutions from across the globe and the presentations will cover both wireless communications and radar.
As the Moore’s law is coming to an end, separating large systems into smaller chips based on their functionality is not only a cost-benefit solution but it allows the complex system to expand beyond theoretical size limits. Although chiplet technology has been around for many years, it has not been till the rise of the AI supercomputers and the accompanied unprecedented computational demand that put the spotlight on SiPs (System in Package). There are different aspects to the design of chiplets including the packaging, the high-speed chip-to-chip interconnect and the interoperability and standardization which allow the SiP built by the combination of chips from different vendors. There are multiple benefits to the chiplet-based architectures. Breaking down the large complex systems into smaller chips based on their functionality means better yields and lower cost due to the lower probability of manufacturing defects. Cost reduction can also come with customizing the process technology for each chiplet (eg using advanced nodes for GPUs and CPUs and less expensive technologies for memories and analog interfaces). Design upgrades can also be done on certain functional blocks without the need for redesigning the whole system. To take full advantage of chiplet-based architectures, the D2D (die-to-die) interface needs to be standardized. The interoperability allows the developer to use multiple vendors. In terms of the packaging, development of 3DHI (3D Heterogeneous Integration) that enables stacking up separately manufactured components, is the perfect technology choice for chiplet-based architectures. Additionally, the ever-increasing demand for high-throughput communication links and high-resolution radar sensors is driving the development of future wireless systems at higher operating frequencies. In order to support multiple functionality, the flexibility requested to those systems, is driving the adoption of large phased array antennas. Heterogeneous technologies and vertical 3D integration will play a vital role in enhancing the performance and functional density, along with reducing the size and costs, of such RF systems. In addition to the already mentioned standardization, both on the digital and RF side, 3DHI will pose a new set of technology (processes and substrates), design (MMICS, RFIC, analog, power management, passives), packaging and thermal challenges. This workshop will address some of the challenges mentioned above both from the digital and RF point of view, combining commercial and defense perspectives with state-of-the-art research in the field. Experts from industry and academia that are at the frontline of these developments are invited to address these issues and inform the audience about the latest advances in this field.
Large-scale quantum computers promise to enable the solution to certain classes of problems for which no other efficient approaches are currently available. The realization of such a computer is hence a major open challenge that is being aggressively researched by academic and industrial teams across the globe. There are several types of competing qubit realizations, each offering different advantages. Yet, all of these realizations require some form of cryogenic cooling and most require RF electronics for control and potentially for readout (in several realizations the readout is optical). Moreover, integrating the control and/or readout electronics at an intermediate temperature stage within the cryostat is an attractive option. However, the circuits still need to fulfill stringent requirements on power consumption, spectral purity, noise budget etc, making their optimization challenging. As such, there is a growing opportunity for the RFIC community to influence this emerging field. In this full-day workshop the state-of-the-art in cryogenic RF circuits for various types of qubit realizations is reviewed. System considerations for various qubit modalities will be discussed, leading to the circuit-level specifications that drive the architectural considerations associated with control ICs targeting different qubit types. The talks will present different RF circuit design solutions for various types of qubits including silicon spin qubits, superconducting qubits, and trapped-ion qubits. The workshop features distinguished speakers from leading companies and academia, who will present their latest advances on cryogenic circuits for quantum computer applications. A brief concluding discussion will round-off the workshop to summarize the key learnings on the wide range of aspects presented during the day.
The rapid increase in data throughput in recent 5G (FR1 and FR2), Wi-Fi (6E and 7), and 6G (FR3 in the near future) requires high-efficiency, linear and wideband RF power amplifiers. However, it is extremely challenging to simultaneously enhance the linearity and efficiency of the power amplifier, especially for spectrally-efficient and wide modulation bandwidths (eg 320MHz for Wi-Fi 7, 100MHz for 5G FR1, and >400MHz for FR2). Higher order constellations like 4k-QAM for Wi-Fi 7, 256-QAM for FR2 make PA design a challenging task. This workshop will cover the “practical” and “most promising” linearity and efficiency improvement techniques for RF power amplifiers and transmitters. Several techniques like wideband envelope tracking, Doherty power amplifiers, digital transmitters, mm-wave power amplifiers etc, will be covered in a tutorial type fashion, with emphasis on practical aspects of the design.
With technological advancement, the spectrum of possibilities within the realms of communication and sensing is expanding astonishingly. One of the most exciting frontiers in this domain is the utilization of mm-wave and sub-THz frequencies, offering a gateway to revolutionary advances in wireless communication and sensing. The workshop collects the transformative capabilities of mm-Wave and Sub-THz technologies, which collectively span the frequency range from 30GHz to 300GHz. This previously underutilized spectrum is now at the forefront of technological breakthroughs. At the heart of this paradigm shift lies the broadband front-end, a critical component that enables the seamless harnessing of mm-Wave and Sub-THz frequencies for applications that were once considered futuristic. One of the central themes of the workshop is the advancement of high-frequency communication technologies. Explore the latest developments in ultra-fast data transfer, low-latency networks, and the mm-wave and Sub-THz spectrum integration in wireless systems. Witness how these innovations reshape the connectivity landscape, enabling applications like 6G, autonomous vehicles, smart cities, etc. The workshop takes participants on a journey through the diverse applications of mm-wave and Sub-THz sensing, from radar systems that can revolutionize wireless communication to high-resolution imaging techniques that can potentially transform human life.
The reliance on digital beamforming and large arrays in mm-wave is increasing as communication and sensing systems migrate to higher frequency bands and occupy wider bandwidths. In this workshop experts in communications, automotive radar/sensing, antennas and silicon and packaging technologies will share their related experience and vision and discuss various challenges and solutions at the system, circuit, and technology levels.
Sensing modalities are enabling technologies for the ongoing revolution in autonomy. This is evident from the global sensor market that was valued at B in 2019 and is projected to reach over B by 2028. Camera, LiDAR, and RADAR dominate the autonomy field, and IR/thermal is now emerging as an important modality in that space. However, today none of the sensing modalities alone can solve the abundant challenges needed for robust, reliable, and trust-worthy autonomy in difficult environments. To that end, this workshop brings together a unique mix of top industry, academic, and regulatory body speakers to discuss these challenges, the current solutions, and what we can expect today’s research to bring for tomorrow. The speakers bring a breadth of expertise and experiences ranging from electronics to photonics, integrated systems to sensor fusion, and OEMs to regulators; this insight comes together in a workshop-concluding panel discussion that dives deep into key forces pushing us towards — and holding us back from — autonomy.
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In this technical lecture, we will discuss the fundamentals of noise processes within an oscillator and the associated design insights. We will start with understanding evolution of noise from device and external noise sources to phase noise. We will develop the time-varying phase noise model, discuss some of the nuances involved in it, and how a deeper understanding of that process can help us identify additional intuition in design of voltage controlled oscillators (VCO). We will investigate specific applications of this model to various kinds of oscillators, such as LC ad ring VCOs and how it fits with the general picture of frequency generation.
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Advanced CMOS technologies enable direct bits-to-RF conversion, which provides higher energy-efficiency and more compact die area, especially for sub-7GHz. Meanwhile, such digital intensive transmitters, with highly reconfigurable nature are well adapted for multifunction and intelligent communication systems. When the operation bands extend to mm-wave to meet the increasing data streaming requirements of modern communication systems (eg 5G, 6G, etc), digital intensive transmitters also exhibit potential advantages compared to traditional Cartesian transmitters. This workshop discusses techniques of digital intensive transmitters operating from sub-7GHz to mm-wave with continuous evolution of higher output power, efficiency, data-rate, and multi-functions such as distortion self-calibration, multi-band, multi-mode, etc.
Are you a student or a professional researcher seeking insights into the process of productizing ideas? Perhaps you are an experienced designer keen on understanding how fellow professionals have surmounted challenges during product development. If so, this workshop is tailored for you! Industry experts representing high-volume commercial integrated circuit (IC) companies, IP developers, aerospace, and defense sectors will share their experiences of navigating the journey from conceptualization to fielded product. Engaging discussions will encompass a diverse array of topics, spanning high-speed analog to digital converters, digital to analog converters, mm-wave packaging, multi-antenna beam steering calibration, RF front-ends and the benefits of RF/packaging co-simulation. During the developmental phase of prototypes, constraints related to budgets and schedules often hinder thorough validation, verification, and testing procedures. Consequently, this limitation can lead to the emergence of latent defects that remain undetected until later stages of productization. In these scenarios, research teams and start-ups may be primarily focused on core innovations and transformative concepts, only to encounter obstacles when the company aims to expedite the implementation of these ideas. For instance, in startup environments lacking dedicated facilities for environmental testing, issues like low-temperature oscillations (which are unobservable during simulations) may go unnoticed until far too late. The instances discussed within this workshop serve as valuable examples that can form the basis of a comprehensive checklist, enabling a smoother transition from the prototype phase to the final product. We hope this workshop could potentially prevent the need for extensive reiterations, saving both time and resources for you and your colleagues.
With global networking data traffic predicted to reach petabytes in the next few years, mm-wave wireless communications enabled by silicon-based phased arrays is poised as a game-changer for new infrastructure applications. Emergence of untethered space constellations such as low-earth orbit (LEO) satellite communications approximately lying between 500km to 800km altitude such as Amazon Kuiper (590–630km), SpaceX Starlink (550–750km), OneWeb (1200km), and Telesat Lightspeed (1015–1325km) will further benefit global connectivity. By utilizing the fallow spectrum at mm-wave, it is expected to provide gigabits-per-second data rates to multiple users including under-served and remote areas. While planar mm-Wave phased arrays have cemented their position in communication systems, the future of satellite constellation hosting thousands of antenna elements is dependent on the choice of frequency, application, field-of-view, and form factor. Conformal phased arrays, which encompass mechanically flexible, foldable, or stretchable arrays, are one of the promising new frontiers of array development. Conformal antennas provides multiple degrees of freedom to the scan angle that is typically limited by antenna aperture. Recent works have demonstrated new viable research directions at the antenna-RF interface with the adaptive control that will be presented in this workshop.
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In this session five mm-wave integrated transmitters, receivers, phase arrays suitable for wireless communication and sensing are presented. The session starts with a 60GHz positive-feedback-based transmitter front-end with a maximum 22.8% PAE in 28nm bulk CMOS for inter-satellite communications. The second paper reports A Ka-band 8-element 4-Beam transmitter front-end with hybrid VGA and symmetrical transformer-based Doherty PA. The third paper describes a 32-element 25.8–30.8GHz phased-array CMOS transmitter with programable temperature compensation technique that achieves ±0.002dB/°C gain variation across -60-to-85°C. The fourth paper demonstrates a 45nm SOI 5G blocker-tolerant mm-wave MIMO receiver with up to 41dB spatial notch filtering. Final paper of the session reports a 56–65GHz FMCW radar transceiver with 7.8dB NF and 8GHz chirp-bandwidth in 65nm CMOS.
This session is dedicated to advances in Silicon and III-V technologies enabling innovative mmW IC design ultimately leveraging advanced packaging including heterogeneous integration strategies to develop next generation mmW systems. The first paper of the session will describe a wideband 5G FR2 5G FEM in 150-nm GaN on SiC technology. The second paper will then extend III-V technology capability by proposing an innovative heterogeneous integration with Silicon technology. The third paper focuses on advanced packaging by presenting a high performance glass interposer targeting D-band mmW system. The fourth paper presents advances in Silicon technologies by introducing an innovative LDMOS device in 22-nm FD SOI technology targeting Wi-Fi power amplifiers, while the fifth and final paper will complement this update on PA design by introducing an innovative wideband directional coupler design achieved in RF SOI technology.
This session provides an overview of the latest advances in RF systems for low-power sensing and 5G applications. It features a self-reconfigurable RF energy harvesting system with voltage regulation and wide power dynamic range as well as a compact RFSOI CMOS 5G phased array transceiver with outstanding TX average output power performance and RX noise figure. The session then introduces a novel RF sensing system with enhanced linearity and dynamic range for microplastic detection followed by a record harmonic-rejection-ratio frequency quadrupler for 5G applications and a time-division power and data transfer system for wirelessly powered biopotential sensing.
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High-voltage, linear RF switches are extensively demanded in a wide variety of applications, ranging from high-volume, cost-efficient cellular handsets to performance-centric and high-reliability automated test and measurements, RF infrastructure, military, and medical systems. Antenna tuning techniques utilized in modern cellular mobile devices have been the main driver for rapid improvement of commercial solid-state CMOS-based high-voltage switches. A need for more radical RF performance improvement in other demanding applications calls for innovative solutions based on RF-MEMS and disruptive PCM switch technologies. In this workshop experts from industry and academia will report on recent advances in MOSFET-based, RF-MEMS and PCM-switches for RF communication and test platforms. A panel session will conclude the event, where the speakers will debate on the insights and outlooks for the trending technology candidates for switchable RF devices in cellular RF front-ends, automated test and measurement systems, industrial/military radios and others.
The realization of advanced front-end modules (FEM) for mobile applications, whether below 6GHz and definitely at mm-wave, and their packaging, pose daunting design challenges to fit significant electrical functionality within a relatively small space while meeting or exceeding electrical, mechanical, thermal, and reliability requirements for both the UE and BS use-cases at a low cost. As a result, it will be more important to solve signal integrity, reduce insertion losses imposed by various interconnects and packaging techniques at the chip, module, and board levels with co-engineering across disciplines, and realize an integrated module cost-effectively. This workshop is organized to address current and future design and manufacturing techniques by bringing together subject-matter experts from the IEEE Electronic Packaging Society (EPS) and the MTT-S communities. Presentations will cover the state-of-the-art in advanced, cost-effective multichip module integration, integrated passive devices (IPD) and interposer technologies for circuit and system design for signal diversity, and beam-forming approaches that would leverage emerging next-generation wireless communications, including handset modules, economically. In particular, the workshop will highlight the latest advances and state-of-the-art developments in interposer technologies, including high-resistive Si, glass, and organic substrates for 2.5D/3D IC integration through vias (TSV/TGV), high-Q IPDs, antennas in packages (AiP), and wafer-scale packaging, covering sub-6GHz 5G to 300GHz 6G applications. The workshop will discuss the relative merits and de-merits of existing approaches in terms of losses, Q, isolation, non-linearity, and, most importantly, cost, and it will provide possible solutions with future directions. This will present advanced HR Si (with buffer, passivation, and isolation layers) and glass-based high-Q IPDs integrating filters, matching networks, and integration of antennas optimizing radiation pattern and system performance; RF-optimized silicon interposer developed with TSV and IPDs for above 100GHz applications with particular focus on antenna, CMOS, III-V integration, and thermal management of highly scaled solutions. Further, it will present recent progress in using glass as a material for MMIC packages in the D-band, using the organic chip carrier glass IPD process to design antennas-in-package, and including the design of transmission lines, flip-chip transitions, and antenna arrays for realizing cost-effective integrated modules in the 150GHz and 300GHz bands. The speakers are the experts and are the leading contributors in both the industrial and academic sectors.
The system performance of wireless transmitters depends heavily on the behavior of RF power amplifiers (PA). To satisfy the increasing demand for higher data rates, modern communications standards adopt ever higher modulation orders at increasing modulation bandwidths. Additionally, radar systems are facing increasingly more complex signals while dual functionality remains a desired goal for future systems. As a result, PA designers are faced with the intractable goal of providing PAs with simultaneously high linearity and power at higher carrier frequencies with wide instantaneous bandwidths in a world where power conservation is often a primary objective. Traditional PA design starts typically from (pulsed) continuous waveform (CW) measurements combined with load-pull. Design techniques, like the Cripps method, come to the rescue of the designer to reduce the amount of characterization. Usually, the PA is characterized under the desired modulation conditions only after the design and fabrication, often with degraded performance from the predictions. This requires then one or more expensive redesigns. With the increased demand for active phased arrays, this problem is only magnified as amplifiers interact with each other through the antenna coupling, which affects both efficiency and linearity. This workshop showcases the state-of-the-art of practical design methodologies that anticipate the use of the amplifiers under realistic wideband modulation conditions. The goal of these methodologies is to reduce the number of fabrication iterations by characterizing the transistor and designing the PA in a realistic operating environment at an early stage of the design process.
In this workshop, we will deeply explore high-frequency technologies, emphasizing the synergy between chipletization, heterogeneous integration, and advanced interconnect solutions for mm-wave and sub-THz applications. We will explore the need for innovative approaches to heterogeneous integration (HI), which involves integrating multiple dies and chiplets (eg CMOS, InP, and SiGe BiCMOS chips) on advanced packaging, to push the boundaries of high-frequency systems into new territories. The workshop will include insightful presentations from both academia and industry, highlighting the latest trends and future technologies in chipletization, HI, and advanced packaging. These talks will merge theoretical research with practical applications, offering a comprehensive view of the field’s progression. Additionally, we will discuss the necessity for cutting-edge interconnects and transitions, essential for ultra-broadband, low-loss signal transmission in the high-frequency domains. Through discussions and case studies, we will show how these technologies are crucial for the practical realization of chiplet and HI-based mm-wave and THz systems.
Large-scale distributed or cell-free MIMO is the next step of the wireless evolution beyond 5G and massive MIMO. The main idea is to utilize a very large number of distributed, low-cost and low-power access points to form a network where the service is user-centric rather than divided into cells as done in conventional wireless networks. With the access points and antenna elements spread out spatially, the network can provide a more ubiquitous service in terms of coverage and throughput, but several challenges come along compared to conventional co-located MIMO. As coherent operation is needed to manage interference, aspects such as front/back-haul and RF synchronization requires novel schemes that scales well with distributed antenna systems. Keeping the access points simple and cost effective also implies challenges on RF front-end design and signal processing algorithms commonly used in co-located antenna arrays. In this workshop, we present some of the recent advances in research on RF and microwave technology aimed to address the challenges of a truly distributed and cell-free network.
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The complexity of the requirements in advanced 5G and forthcoming scenarios has a direct impact on the design of acoustic wave filters. Latest developments have pushed acoustic technology to an unprecedented situation mostly due to the developments in advanced functional materials; however, this entails at the same time, new challenges in relation to design and synthesis methodologies, electrical characterization and non-linear behavior and modeling. New scenarios open at the same time an opportunity window where new applications can be faced using acoustic wave technologies due to the outstanding performance and reduced size compared with conventional electromagnetic solutions. The workshop is divided in three differentiated blocks. The first block is focused on design and synthesis methodologies. The objective is to show how the amazing properties of new functional materials may help to overcome existing limitations, mainly related to the achievable bandwidth of the filter. In the second block, the focus is put on modeling and linear/non-linear characterization. New functional materials may require new modes of operation of AW resonators, and higher power handling, which may contribute to a higher non-linear behavior. All this phenomenological behavior can be used for the development of more precise linear and non-linear models. The third block is focused on new modes of operation and AW resonator configurations taking advantage of new material properties such as heterostructures, new doped materials, or other configurations as the periodically polarized piezoelectric P3F. The final block is focused on transversal markets to explore new opportunities where acoustic wave technologies may have a key role in future scenarios (UWB, Sensors, and/or other applications). With the objective of giving the widest view on the topic, the half of the presentations are given by international recognized research groups in academia, while the other half are given by the major global industrial players.
This workshop will discuss radio spectrum usage from the view of a microwave practitioner. The basics of wireless spectrum allocation and regulation will be discussed. Presentations will describe the spectrum needs and challenges for defense and the commercial wireless industry, as well as how the test and measurement industry will be challenged. Core microwave technology innovations enabling future innovative spectrum usage will be discussed, including mm-wave devices and reconfigurable circuitry. Finally, a discussion of workforce development for spectrum science and engineering will conclude the presentations. The workshop will include an opening discussion and audience poll for topics of interest, as well as a closing panel session with the speakers for additional participant interaction.
Microelectronics operating in the mm-wave frequency regime have gained considerable attention for numerous applications including beyond-5G communications, satellite communications, and G-band radar for humidity and cloud remote sensing. A central component in the mm-wave integrated circuit development is precise on-wafer characterization of the next-generation transistors for device characterization and model extraction/validation. On-wafer measurements at mm-wave frequencies pose considerable challenges, and these difficulties are compounded when large-signal measurements are required for device optimization and modeling. This workshop incorporates a diverse set of speakers from around the world who are international experts in the field of on-wafer mm-wave calibration and small- and large-signal measurements. The morning session of this workshop will provide a deep background on the need for, challenges of, and calibration requirements for on-wafer mm-wave large-signal measurements. Our afternoon session will present world-class research from both academia and industry on on-wafer load-pull measurements at mm-wave frequencies. This proposed workshop will enable an inclusive, international audience and will welcome open discussions on the technical aspects of the presentations.
Ultra-low-power devices which are pervasive in the IoT world depend on energy autonomy to perform seamlessly their sensing and communication tasks. The wireless provision of power is an appropriate solution for IoT sensors, as demonstrated by the talks of this workshop, given by experts from both academia and industry from all continents. The workshop focuses on different areas, such as the miniaturization of the IoT node, the exploitation of additive manufacturing for eco-friendly solutions, the need for circuital/electromagnetic strategies for accurate low-power transceiver design, system-on-chip solutions with machine-learning assisted sensing capabilities. Moreover, both near- and far-field applications (up to mm-Wave) are considered with special emphasis on complex electromagnetic environments, from the viewpoint of the receiver (rectenna) and the transmitter (energy source), with recent solutions of both single or multiple rectenna combinations and advanced transmitting stations. This workshop is part of the initiative “Future Directions Days on WPT” sponsored by the MTT-S Technical Committee-25 (Wireless Power Transfer and Energy Conversion Committee).
The recent demonstration of quantum supremacy with superconducting quantum computers has triggered researchers all over the world to work towards improved superconducting microwave devices, as well as novel quantum methods and algorithms. For low temperatures and weak microwave signals, as is the case in the readout of superconducting qubits, the quantum nature of the electromagnetic field becomes apparent. Hence, the design, optimization, and scaling of superconducting microwave components need to be performed on a completely new theoretical basis, given by the framework of circuit quantum electrodynamics. For microwave engineers, this signifies a transfer of knowledge from classical electromagnetics to the quantum realm. More or less common microwave components such as mixers, isolators, parametric amplifiers, and circulators are key for the realization of superconducting quantum computers. They can be modeled using quantum theory or hybrid semi-classical quantum approaches, which is particularly important if quantum effects are fundamental to the device’s operation. To exploit the full potential of general-purpose quantum computers based on superconducting qubits, which will enable breakthrough applications in the mid and long-term. Further technological advances in quantum error correction and qubit readout are necessary. Fueled by the remarkable progress in quantum hardware, which has defined a new noisy intermediate-scale quantum computing era, innovative quantum-based algorithms have been proposed. Particularly in electromagnetics, specialized quantum algorithms have the potential of significant speedups against classical computing strategies, especially when it comes to NP-hard optimization problems. Quantum algorithms also show great potential for the solution of integral equations, inverse scattering problems, and the prediction of radiation patterns. However, at the current stage, inevitable noise and limited qubit coherence times are prohibitive for most methods to show a real quantum advantage yet. Current topics in the modeling of RF microwave quantum devices based on circuit quantum electrodynamics will be addressed, which will be connected to the design and implementation of advanced quantum algorithms for general-purpose quantum computers and quantum annealers. One goal of this workshop is to bring together specialists in the modeling, design, and experimental realization of quantum hardware and experts in quantum algorithms with a focus on computational electromagnetics to discuss their individual ideas and perspectives on quantum computing. Another important aspect of this workshop is to introduce microwave engineers step-by-step to the strange new world of quantum theory by means of a comprehensive tutorial in the beginning, bridging the language barrier between quantum physics and RF microwave engineering.
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This session presents a variety of techniques for mm-wave and RF circuits. The papers report bi-directional front-ends and integrated TRSW-LNA-PA for 5G and SATCOM communications, along with a J-band TX/RX chipset and a variable attenuator for power detection applications.
This session presents advances in VCO performance, employing multi-mode, multi-core architectures, and Impulse Sensitivity Function (ISF) shaping. The first two papers extend frequency tuning range with multi-mode architectures. The third paper reduces phase noise in a triple-push, triple-core DCO for V-band operation. The fourth paper achieves record phase noise reduction in CMOS by combining series resonance in a multi-core architecture. Finally, the last paper demonstrates improved phase noise through ISF shaping with a multi-tank topology.
This session presents novel techniques for energy efficient performance enhancements to wireless transmitters and receivers. The first paper presents an IoT transmitter employing amplitude and phase calibration to improve harmonic rejection, followed by techniques to improve receiver blocker tolerance using novel N-path mixer-first front-end topologies. An energy-efficient polar receiver based on a phase tracking architecture capable of amplitude demodulation is then presented, followed by a phase noise canceling receiver.
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This panel session offers a chance to engage in dialogue with the Presidents of IEEE Societies within IEEE Division IV "Electromagnetics and Radiation." Given their shared research domains, this session presents a valuable opportunity to exchange perspectives on forthcoming technological challenges and foster avenues for future inter-society collaboration.
Rather than a traditional panel, the RF and Microwave League of Champions will be a quiz show pitting a team of academics against a team of industry veterans to answer technical riddles sourced from RF and microwave history. Each team will comprise 3 members who will answer as a team on questions about RF/microwave theory, circuits, and systems. This event will be an entertaining diversion from the typical technical panel and hopefully a great deal of fun for participants.
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In this session five papers on mm-wave power amplifiers are presented. The session starts with a 60GHz PA in FDSOI CMOS with 42.3% PAE. The second paper presents a three-way combining wideband PA to achieve high backoff efficiency without load modulation. The third paper demonstrates a 22–44GHz Doherty PA with 3:1 VSWR variation tolerance. The fourth paper presents a true power detector scheme to achieve >33dB dynamic range. The last paper demonstrates a dual-mode PA to support sub-6GHz and mm-wave for 5G FR1 and FR2, respectively.
This session presents recent advances in RF and mm-wave frequency multiplication techniques. The session starts with two papers on inductorless wideband frequency doubler and multiplier designs, followed by two injection-locking frequency tripler and multiplier designs. Lastly, we present an mm-wave frequency tripler with power combining and harmonic shaping techniques.
This session covers several innovations in the design of components for phased arrays. The first three papers present phased array receivers achieving high resolution and demonstrating accurate phase-shifter and multibeam capabilities up to the W-band. The last two papers showcase additional crucial components by presenting a high-linearity VGA and a reconfigurable front-end for 5G.
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The rising demand for high data traffic, speed, and resolution requires new-generation (5G and B5G) power amplifiers (PAs) to operate at higher frequency bands, and deliver high linear power with wide bandwidth and high efficiency at high PAPR, and these PAs are among the most critical components for the next-generation mobile and backhaul systems. Load-modulated Doherty power amplifiers (DPAs) are highly regarded as suitable candidates, providing high efficiency and supporting higher-order modulation. However, conventional DPA suffers from restricted bandwidth, maintaining efficiency with BW, and increased sensitivity to load mismatch. This timely workshop will feature a wide range of presentations highlighting the recent advances and state-of-the-art developments in Doherty-based PA circuit design theory, methodology, and practical circuit and system implementation techniques for overcoming the above constraints. This will cover analog and hybrid beamforming and massive MIMO applications for sub-6GHz 5G to mm-wave and 6G applications, including those for handsets and infrastructures. This workshop will showcase advanced topologies, including a novel active load-modulated PA architecture called the circulator load-modulated amplifier; advanced sequential version and the voltage-combining approach; and novel analog/digital co-design, reducing undesirable memory effects and extending bandwidths with high efficiency. Further, the latest load-insensitive load-modulation PAs including quasi-balanced Doherty PA and load-modulated balanced and double balanced amplifiers, which provide inherent isolation from the antenna, will be presented. Finally, the workshop will conclude with the latest important trends, possible future directions, and experimental results based on monolithic and hybrid implementation and will compare the performance of novel DPAs with circuit/device technologies in terms of BW, ACLR/linearity, and efficiency at different backoffs (6 to 12dB) for fulfilling the challenging high-performance and low-cost requirements of next-generation wireless communications.
This interactive half-day workshop of 4 tutorials includes 5 speakers from both industry and academia, who have been involved in the development of new approaches for the design and testing of power amplifiers, phased arrays and antenna-in-package modules. The tutorials present techniques for evaluating and optimizing efficiency and heat dissipation in RF devices and front-ends, and are a combination of recent research, as well as field-proven methods that are already available in the industry products, such as thermoreflectance solutions and over-the-air (OTA) thermal imaging for 5G phased array front-ends incorporating ICs and antenna-in-package modules. In addition to the conventional Q&A time made available to attendees during and after each tutorial, attendees will be encouraged at the beginning of the workshop to present challenges that they are interested in addressing, so as to allow the tutorial speakers to consider these in their tutorials.
Understanding instrument noise and building stable, ultra-low-noise receivers have critical importance achieving high-quality accurate RF receivers that are used in a very broad field including 5G systems to weather/meteorological radars/sounders to communication systems. This workshop will fill an important gap by discussing noise parameter measurement techniques at room temperature and cryogenic environments, ultra-low-noise technologies and amplifiers in InGaAs mHEMTs and GaN HEMTs, low noise amplifiers and receivers for radiometric measurements and recent advanced state-of-the-art low-noise technology and their applications.
Over six decades of exploration of our solar system by robotic spacecraft has not only been one of the greatest adventures in history but has also transformed our understanding of the universe. Every mission has enabled stunning scientific discoveries that altered our knowledge of the universe. The breadth and depth of the discoveries from these robotic missions would not have been possible without the parallel development of broad range of science instruments that operate over wide range of wavelengths across the electromagnetic spectrum. These instruments provided the data to address key science questions and test scientific hypotheses. The focus of this workshop is the development of space-borne microwave and THz instruments for exploring our Earth and the numerous objects orbiting the Sun in our solar system such as the planets and moons. At present there are significant technological needs for improving existing instruments and adapting completely new concepts. Practically all instruments can benefit from technology developments that can reduce their mass and power consumption and improve data communications capability. Additionally, increased sensitivity and measurement accuracy are desired attributes along with survivability under extreme temperature/pressure in the ionizing radiation environment of space. Furthermore, autonomy is important given the enormous planetary distances that are involved. Accordingly, the workshop includes presentations from space agencies and organizations across the globe highlighting their instrument development successes and the missions that were enabled. The workshop commences with an overview talk that presents the state of THz instrumentation development, design, and implementation challenges. The second presentation will review the current and upcoming synthetic aperture radar (SAR) missions and their advanced exploitations to deliver actionable information for society in the context of climate change and green transition. In the third presentation, exemplary space-borne instruments such as a limb sounder operating in the microwave and THz spectral range for measuring the atmospheric composition will be discussed. The fourth presentation will highlight two recent projects that utilize Artificial-Intelligence (AI) and Machine-Learning (ML) and discuss successes and challenges experienced during development and provide additional insights into future pathways for AI and ML in spaceborne microwave instruments. The fifth presentation will describe a unique high ground-resolution SAR system on a novel quasi-two-dimensional satellite dubbed as the DiskSat for very low Earth orbit missions. Lastly, a THz heterodyne spectrometer with high sensitivity and resolution and with 2U form factor as a payload on a CubeSat for detecting the presence of hydroxyl and heavy water simultaneously in the Moon’s polar and equatorial regions will be presented.
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This technical session focuses on addressing the demands of next-generation high-speed communication, high-resolution radar/imaging, and sensing applications, which necessitate high-power (>15dBm) and high-efficiency power amplifiers (PAs) operating at D-band frequencies and above (>100GHz). The session will delve into the design challenges associated with achieving improved output power, efficiency, linearity, and bandwidth in high-performance silicon-based PAs, utilizing technologies such as SOI CMOS and SiGe. The first paper presents a high Pout and efficient PA operating at 130–151GHz, implemented in 22nm FD-SOI technology. It features a fully differential 8-way power combining network, enhancing Pout, and linearity. The subsequent two papers present advanced architectures and design techniques utilizing 45nm RF-SOI technology: Complex neutralization for source-gate-driven cascode PA and a cascade-stacked PA architecture. The last paper introduces a novel asymmetric slotline-based series-parallel combiner implemented in 130nm SiGe BiCMOS technology, designing upper frequency bands up to 270GHz.
In this session, you will learn about 5 different CMOS frequency synthesis solutions that cover a range of frequencies from low-GHz to sub-THz. These solutions are particularly relevant for applications such as FMCW radars and the upcoming 5G to 6G communications. The papers proposing these solutions are highly innovative and offer valuable insights.
This session will present advanced wireline and localization systems. It includes a very wide bandwidth low distortion TIA for coherent optical communications. The second paper introduces an eye-opening monitor exploiting non-uniform sampling and quantization. The third paper presents a beamforming array with true-time delay for angle of arrival estimation. The last paper demonstrates a frequency-encrypted FMCW LiDAR using an electro-optical synthesizer.
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The research area of improving the performance, cost and size of 5G RF solutions and evolution to 6G is very active with many developments and it is one of the driving factors for semiconductor industry. Mobile cellular subscribers reached more than 6 billion in 2022 and 5G LTE brings high data capacity as low latency using sub-6GHz and mm-Wave spectrum. Mm-Wave up to 300GHz will play a major role in future 6G networks. The proliferation of worldwide smartphones has been in part possible due to increased computational power of CMOS technology in lower feature nodes as 3nm/7nm. This has made also possible to essentially enhance RF CMOS through digital signal processing (DSP) and digital calibration. The industrial workshop will cover 5G semiconductor technologies and architectures currently used in RF Front End Modules for cellular applications, the challenges for the 5G deployment as well the evolution to 6G.
This session highlights cutting-edge developments in cryogenic circuits and modeling in both CMOS and BiCMOS processes including a multicore VCO for bandwidth extension, a noise cancelling low-noise amplifier for low power consumption, and a multi-channel waveform generator for quantum applications. An experimental study on radiation effects on a Ka Band PLL showing phase noise effects is presented.
In this session, advanced digital PA and TX systems for 5G-NR, Wifi-7, and IoT applications are developed. Firstly, a 16nm FinFET watt-level WiFi-7 all-digital polar TX using switched capacitor digital PA is introduced. Secondly, a SAW-less RF transmitter based on N-path switched-capacitor modulator is proposed for 5G-NR CIM3 cancellation. Thirdly, a high power quadrature complex domain Doherty PA using switched constant-current and symmetrical transformer is developed for deep PBO efficiency enhancement. Fourthly, a 5G FR2 n260/n259 phased-array transmitter front-end IC in 28nm CMOS FD-SOI is discussed. Finally, a sub-2.4GHz transceiver with reused matching network and duty-cycle controlled Class-E PA for medical band is proposed.
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Communications standards such as 5G, WLAN, and SatCom as well as radar systems share the common trend towards higher frequencies and larger signal bandwidths. These trends impose tight requirements on transmitter linearity and power amplifiers efficiency. This workshop introduces a workflow to combine state-of-the-art PA measurements with behavioral models and prototypes for accelerating the design, optimization, and testing of linearization techniques. We will introduce recent trends in PA architectures and identify linearization techniques such as DPD, also taking into account load-pull effects. We will use hardware characterization and behavioral models to tradeoff design parameters and improve ACLR, EVM, and other metrics for 5GNR waveforms.
This session will showcase cutting-edge innovations in silicon technology for wireless applications in D-band and beyond: system-in-package for 112.64Gb/s channel aggregation; 210–250GHz with integrated bow-tie antenna sliding-IF transceivers, dual ultra-wideband receivers, and scalable 128-channel phased arrays for dual-polarization MIMO communications are among the highlights.
This session covers PA developments in 2–40GHz range for SATCOM and other applications in CMOS, SiGe and GaN. The first paper presents a Q-band PA utilizing edge coupled-line impedance inverting balun. The next two papers cover Ku-band PAs in CMOS and SiGe with transformer area reduction techniques. The fourth paper presents an analog predistortion linearizer for a K-Band PA. The final paper demonstrates a wideband 2–18GHz GaN reconfigurable nonuniform distributed PA.
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The growth in generative AI has, naturally, raised the question of its impact on RFIC design. The latter has been traditionally regarded as somewhat of a black art, requiring the ‘magic’ of human intuition and creativity.
But is RFIC design really so, or will AI be able to automate large portions of the design process in the future? Are the days of hand-crafted RFIC design limited? Will AI replace design engineers or only augment their capabilities, to some extent?
This lunch time panel, with both industry and academic experts, will attempt to predict the impact of AI in RFIC design.
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This workshop will focus on successful model based GaN power amplifier design. Advanced simulation approaches for achieving stable high efficiency amplifiers will be outlined. This will include demonstration examples using Keysight Technologies’ Pathwave Advanced Design System software, along with accurate non-linear models for Qorvo GaN HEMT devices developed by Modelithics. Tools and techniques to tackle design challenges, such as load-modulated design will be exemplified, as well as advanced stability analyses enabled by the new WS-probe, now available in ADS and embedded intrinsically in Modelithics Qorvo GaN models.
With the emerging RF applications of 5G and beyond 5G (B5G), it is desired to enable silicon-based RF front-end circuits for low-cost and high-level integration. In this session, RF front-end circuits including low-noise amplifiers and mixers in CMOS and SOI technologies are presented. The design techniques for wideband or multi-band operations are discussed and demonstrated, as well as the performance enhancement in terms of DC power reduction and noise minimization.
This session presents the latest development in D-band and THz transmitters. The first two papers present THz transmitters. The next three papers present D/F-Band transmitters all in CMOS technology with competitive data rates.
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This workshop offers a deep dive, how precise load pull measurements support the optimization of RF power amplifiers in the D-band, a frequency range gaining momentum with its growing range of applications. Our session will center around a latest multi-stage power amplifier design operating in D-band. We will explore the distinctions and applications of passive versus hybrid load pull techniques, highlighting their roles in advanced measurement scenarios.
Collaborating with Friedrich Alexander Universität, we aim to present a comprehensive view of D-Band measurement challenges and solutions, addressing the practical and theoretical aspects vital for advancing in this evolving technology sphere.
This session explores innovative circuit techniques and system applications at mm-wave and higher frequencies. The first paper discusses circuit techniques aimed at achieving wide-band performance in FMCW radars. The second paper outlines a circuit technique that achieves outstanding on/off modulation ratio in a 200GHz radar transmitter. The subsequent paper describes a radiometer that achieves the highest-frequency radiometer in an integrated silicon-based solution at 280GHz. The session concludes with a DAC-based cancellation scheme to attenuate spillover in radars utilized in automotive applications.
This session presents circuit building blocks operating in the 100–200GHz frequency range. The first paper proposes a high output power, energy-efficient Gilbert-cell-based frequency doubler with 25% duty cycle technique using 55nm BiCMOS. The second paper presents a 120GHz passive subharmonic mixer with multiphase LO distribution in 28nm CMOS. The third paper proposes a wideband 200GHz LNA which leverages the use of an active balun input stage in 16nm FinFET. The session ends with a D-band bidirectional common-gate amplifier with current-reuse technique in 45nm RFSOI.
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Join us for an engaging discussion (and food!) at the RFIChat event. Students and experts from academia, industry, and research will converge for an open discussion on RFIC careers and future trends. Bring your questions and come learn how to kickstart, advance, and optimize your career path for variables such as innovation, work-life balance, positive impact, financial stability and more. Our panelists promise to offer invaluable insights (secrets!?) into the unique landscapes of academia and industry, so come meet them and have a chat!
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Join us in this workshop as we delve deep into the unique capabilities of the 20GSPS Apollo MxFE designed to enable high performance applications in X-Band Radar, Electronic Defense, and Instrumentation. Learn how to leverage the on-chip hardened DSP feature set to add significant performance and lower power. We will move beyond theory and share real world performance data, link to specific applications, and demonstrate the tangible impact on your next generation design.
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This talk will provide practical guidance on how best carry out full over temperature testing over multiple bands from 10 MHz all the way up to 1.1 THz using Wincal 5.0 software. We discuss benefits of a range of calibration techniques to optimise for test time and accuracy out and approaches to fully automate the data acquisition process. Recent techniques will be shown including Load pull to 170 GHz / 220 GHz and modulated testing with the Vector Component Analyser also to 170 GHz.
Workshop examples using Python / Wincal 5.0 will be provided along with supporting videos.
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Phased array antenna modules (PAAM) need to operate at highest efficiency and still meet emissions and EVM requirements. A very high number of tests in power, frequency, waveform type, and modes are required. We will explain EVM impairments, techniques to diagnose root causes, and how to minimize the influence of test equipment. Then, review fundamentals of linearization, how to estimate if DPD is recommended, and present linearization results with gap analysis. The device under test will be a PAAM with at least 64 elements. Metrics include ACLR, EVM with and without demodulation, AMAM, AMPM, frequency response, and group delay.
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Simulation, DRC, LVS, ERC, EM, PI, Thermal, Minimal Routing, Performance, Price, and Manufacturability all complicate and restrict design space. Increasing design and system complexity require designers to consider individual designs within the larger system earlier in the design flow to maximize system performance. Cadence’s complete design flow with EM and Thermal Analysis is the backbone infrastructure needed for the next generation of designs. In this workshop, we will review the complete flow and introduce the audience to the ML capabilities within the Virtuoso flow to aid designers in satisfying increased requirements and exploring additional solutions.
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What happens to your chip’s performance when it is placed in the package? How close is "too close" when placing multiple chips next to each other? Does the loop height of that bondwire impact your RF output? Does the void in board below your chip impact the operating bandwidth? Wouldn't you like to know BEFORE you go to manufacturing? Now you can! Here is a design flow that is built to do 3D Heterogenous Integration and it can be easily integrated with several EDA tools including ADS, Virtuoso, Custom Compiler, and Tanner.
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Ever increasing demand for high throughput, low latency, and ultra reliability in wireless transmission requires accurate channel estimation under impairment conditions including Doppler shifts and noise. Traditional techniques for channel estimation in 5G NR involve known pilot sequences inserted into the transmission from which the rest of the channel response can be interpolated across all sub-carriers.
This workshop will demonstrate a convolutional neural network (CNN) for channel estimation using OTA measurements through mmWave PAAM and AMD RFSoC-based 5G NR receiver in a CATR chamber. Training is accelerated by combining MATLAB with hardware-based channel impairments including AWGN and variable carrier-frequency offsets.