An Automated Design Methodology of RF Circuits by Using Pareto-Optimal Fronts of EM-Simulated Inductors

Abstract

A new design methodology for radiofrequency circuits is presented that includes electromagnetic (EM) simulation of the inductors into the optimization flow. This is achieved by previously generating the Pareto-optimal front (POF) of the inductors using EM simulation. Inductors are selected from the Pareto front and their S-parameter matrix is included in the circuit netlist that is simulated using an RF simulator. Generating the EM-simulated POF of inductors is computationally expensive, but once generated, it can be used for any circuit design. The methodology is illustrated both for a single-objective and a multi-objective optimization of a Low Noise Amplifier.

A Multilevel Bottom-Up Optimization Methodology for the Automated Synthesis of RF Systems

“…This type of BU methodology has been successfully applied in two-level hierarchical design, as in [21]. More recently, these BU methodologies have been exploited in RF circuit design by splitting the design of the circuit and the device levels [12]. In this work, a BU methodology is developed for the entire system-circuit-device hierarchy, as shown in Fig.…”

“…In most of the reported optimization-based approaches, the calculation of the IIP 3 is usually avoided due to the needed power sweep, which is time consuming and degrades the efficiency of the optimization. In this work, a highly efficient technique is used in order to calculate the IIP 3 , where no power sweep is needed [12]. The LNA optimization was performed with 800 individuals, 300 generations and had four objectives: maximization of S 21 and minimization of area, NF and P DC .…”

“…Furthermore, each level of the hierarchy is simulated with the highest accuracy possible: EM accuracy at the device level (using an efficient state-of-the-art machine learning technique [20]), and electrical simulations at the circuit/system level, using smart simulation techniques that do not degrade the efficiency of the entire synthesis. In [12], this BU design methodology was successfully applied between the passive and A Multilevel Bottom-up Optimization Methodology for the Automated Synthesis of RF Systems the circuit level to design a low noise amplifier. However, to the best of the authors' knowledge, the work presented here is the first automated BU methodology to reach a system level design (e.g., RF front-end receiver) with highly accurate performance evaluation from the device up to the system level.…”

Enhanced systematic design of a voltage controlled oscillator using a two-step optimization methodology

“…In this sense, evolutionary computation techniques have been applied to the design of RF circuits in recent years [4]- [7]. The use of optimization-based methodologies tries to overcome the traditional knowledge-based methodologies by using optimization algorithms that automatically explore the design space in order to find optimal designs.…”

“…In order to accurately model highly sensitive passive components, such as integrated inductors, designers aiming for high performance designs typically rely on electromagnetic (EM) simulators. Some approaches integrate these accurate simulations into optimization-based methodologies [4] [9]. In these approaches, the optimization loop becomes computationally intensive due to the EM simulations, and, therefore, the efficiency of the design process dramatically deteriorates.…”