Design and analysis of a W-Band detector in 0.18-µm SiGe BiCMOS

Abstract

This paper presents the analysis, design and implementation of a millimeter-wave W-band power detector. Fabricated in a 0.18-ȝm SiGe BiCMOS technology, the detector circuit exhibits a responsivity of 91 kV/W, a noise equivalent power of 0.5 pW/Hz 1/2 , and a noise figure of 29 dB. The power dissipation of the detector is 75 ȝW. Reasonable agreement between simulations and measurements is obtained. To the authors' best knowledge, the detector in this work achieves the highest responsivity reported to date for any solid-state W-band detector.

SiGe wideband power detector and IF-amplifier RFICs for W-band passive imaging systems

“…wideband power detectors and amplifiers) are key functions in such applications. Table I compares the results of the two SiGe power detector designs presented in this paper (made in 0.25/0.13 μm technologies) with some previously reported state-of-the-art W-band power detectors made in a 0.18 μm SiGe process [2][3]. The initial W-band power detector circuit from this work (made in a 0.25 μm SiGe process) achieves a 7-8 GHz wider bandwidth for the -10 dB input matching (84-104 GHz).…”

“…The initial W-band power detector circuit from this work (made in a 0.25 μm SiGe process) achieves a 7-8 GHz wider bandwidth for the -10 dB input matching (84-104 GHz). The detector design in [3] (that was made using a faster SiGe process) obtained a higher responsivity peak value and lower (minimum) NEP. Table I further reveals that according to simulations the second W-band detector design in this work (made in a 0.13 μm SiGe process) presents an even higher responsivity peak value (181 kV/W) together with an NEP=0.2-0.9 pW/Hz 1/2 within the 75-100 GHz range.…”

“…The measured responsivity β (which is defined as V ref -V out divided with P in ) is equal to 4-5 kV/W over a wide frequency range (at 85 GHz, 94 GHz and 101 GHz) also in a close agreement with simulations. Using certain analytical expressions [3] the noise equivalent power (NEP) level of the detector circuit is estimated at 1-2 pW/Hz 1/2 (given a DC current of 10 μA and a load resistance of 2 kΩ). …”

“…W-band passive imaging receivers have been realized using III-V technologies with sensitivity values that are good enough to be useful for certain applications [1]. To be able to increase the integration level and also reduce the cost some highly integrated silicon based Radio Frequency Integrated Circuit (RFIC) W-band Dicke switched receivers were recently presented [2][3][4]. The overall noise figure (NF) of those radiometer front-ends is, however, around 10 dB or higher (incl.…”

SYSTEM-ON-CHIP 36.8 GHZ RADIOMETER FOR SPACE-BASED OBSERVATION OF SOLAR FLARES: FEASIBILITY STUDY IN 0.25 μm SIGE BICMOS TECHNOLOGY

“…The DC output voltage is taken at the common collector point. Assuming a sinusoidal input signal with frequency f and amplitude V i , the DC output voltage can be approximated by [29]:…”