Advances in microelectronics technology have enabled us to integrate a complex electronic system (such as a radio) on a single chip or in a single package module, known as system-on-chip (SoC) and system-on-package (SoP) paradigms. This brings not only new opportunities for system integration, but also challenges in design and implementation. One of these challenges is how to achieve an optimum total solution of system integration via chip and package co-design, because there is no tool or design methodology available for such kind of optimization. This thesis focuses on innovative multi-band multi-standard radio front-end design and explores a new design methodology. The motivation of developing this design methodology is to achieve an optimum total solution for radio system implementation via chip and package co-design and co-optimization. The methodology starts from RF packaging and components modeling. Necessary models for both on-chip and off-chip passives are developed. Parasitic effects of packages for radio chips are modeled for particular frequencies. Compared with high-speed digital packaging, RF packaging normally deals with narrow band signals. It is possible to absorb some unwanted parasitics by designing proper port matching networks. In addition, cost-performance trade-offs are performed. In this context, we first developed process and technology based cost models, which include parameters like chip real estate, raw materials, package, test and rework. Impact of process variation on final yield has also been considered in the models by using a statistical analysis approach. Performance of different design options is measured by a special FoM (figure-of-merit). Each type of analog/RF circuit (such as LNA, PA and ADC) has its own dedicated FoM. Through a series of cost-performance trade-offs for different on-chip versus off-chip passives and partitions, an optimum total solution is obtained. Finally, this methodology was demonstrated via a number of design examples for multi-band multi-standard radio front-end. The author has explored the optimum solutions for different circuit architectures and process technologies encompassing parallel, concurrent and digitally programmable multi-band radio frond-end blocks. It is interesting to find that, for complex RF circuits like a multi-band multi-standard radio, moving some passives off-chip will have significant cost-savings. In addition to the above contributions, the author has also developed an MCM-D technology on LCP and glass substrates, based on metal deposition and BCB spin-coating at KTH clean room. The author has also performed some preliminary studies on UWB radio for RFID applications. / QC 20101005

QC 20101018

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The objective of this dissertation is to derive a set of compact physical models addressing power integrity issues in high performance gigascale integration (GSI) systems and three-dimensional (3-D) systems. The aggressive scaling of CMOS integrated circuits makes the design of power distribution networks a serious challenge. This is because the supply current and clock frequency are increasing, which increases the power supply noise. The scaling of the supply voltage slowed down in recent years, but the logic on the integrated circuit (IC) still becomes more sensitive to any supply voltage change because of the decreasing clock cycle and therefore noise margin. Excessive power supply noise can lead to severe degradation of chip performance and even logic failure. Therefore, power supply noise modeling and power integrity validation are of great significance in GSI systems and 3-D systems. Compact physical models enable quick recognition of the power supply noise without doing dedicated simulations. In this dissertation, accurate and compact physical models for the power supply noise are derived for power hungry blocks, hot spots, 3-D chip stacks, and chip/package co-design. The impacts of noise on transmission line performance are also investigated using compact physical modeling schemes. The models can help designers gain sufficient physical insights into the complicated power delivery system and tradeoff various important chip and package design parameters during the early stages of design. The models are compared with commercial tools and display high accuracy.