Continued improvements of transceiver systems-on-a-chip play a key role in the advancement of mobile telecommunication products as well as wireless systems in biomedical and remote sensing applications. This dissertation addresses the problems of escalating CMOS process variability and system complexity that diminish the reliability and testability of integrated systems, especially relating to the analog and mixed-signal blocks. The proposed design techniques and circuit-level attributes are aligned with current built-in testing and self-calibration trends for integrated transceivers. In this work, the main focus is on enhancing the performances of analog and mixed-signal blocks with digitally adjustable elements as well as with automatic analog tuning circuits, which are experimentally applied to conventional blocks in the receiver path in order to demonstrate the concepts. The use of digitally controllable elements to compensate for variations is exemplified with two circuits. First, a distortion cancellation method for baseband operational transconductance amplifiers is proposed that enables a third-order intermodulation (IM3) improvement of up to 22dB. Fabricated in a 0.13µm CMOS process with 1.2V supply, a transconductance-capacitor lowpass filter with the linearized amplifiers has a measured IM3 below -70dB (with 0.2V peak-to-peak input signal) and 54.5dB dynamic range over its 195MHz bandwidth. The second circuit is a 3-bit two-step quantizer with adjustable reference levels, which was designed and fabricated in 0.18µm CMOS technology as part of a continuous-time SigmaDelta analog-to-digital converter system. With 5mV resolution at a 400MHz sampling frequency, the quantizer's static power dissipation is 24mW and its die area is 0.4mm^2. An alternative to electrical power detectors is introduced by outlining a strategy for built-in testing of analog circuits with on-chip temperature sensors. Comparisons of an amplifier's measurement results at 1GHz with the measured DC voltage output of an on-chip temperature sensor show that the amplifier's power dissipation can be monitored and its 1-dB compression point can be estimated with less than 1dB error. The sensor has a tunable sensitivity up to 200mV/mW, a power detection range measured up to 16mW, and it occupies a die area of 0.012mm^2 in standard 0.18µm CMOS technology. Finally, an analog calibration technique is discussed to lessen the mismatch between transistors in the differential high-frequency signal path of analog CMOS circuits. The proposed methodology involves auxiliary transistors that sense the existing mismatch as part of a feedback loop for error minimization. It was assessed by performing statistical Monte Carlo simulations of a differential amplifier and a double-balanced mixer designed in CMOS technologies.

This thesis describes the architecture, verification, qualification, and packaging of a 16-channel silicon-germanium (SiGe) Remote Electronics Unit (REU) designed for use in extreme environment applications encountered on NASA's exploration roadmap. The SiGe REU was targeted for operation outside the protective electronic "vaults" in a lunar environment that exhibits cyclic temperature swings from -180ºC to 120ºC, a total ionizing dose (TID) radiation level of 100 krad, and heavy ion exposure (single event effects) over the mission lifetime. The REU leverages SiGe BiCMOS technological advantages and design methodologies, enabling exceptional extreme environment robustness. It utilizes a mixed-signal Remote Sensor Interface (RSI) ASIC and an HDL-based Remote Digital Control (RDC) architecture to read data from up to 16 sensors using three different analog channel types with customizable gain, current stimulus, calibration, and sample rate with 12-bit analog-to-digital conversion. The SiGe REU exhibits excellent channel sensitivity throughout the temperature range, hardness to at least 100 krad TID exposure, and single event latchup immunity, representing the cutting edge in cold-capable electronic systems. The SiGe REU is the first example within a potential paradigm shift in space-based electronics.

Data transfer rates of communication systems continue to rise fueled by aggressive demand for voice, video and Internet data. Device scaling enabled by modern lithography has paved way for System-on-Chip solutions integrating compute intensive digital signal processing. This trend coupled with demand for low power, battery-operated consumer devices offers extensive research opportunities in analog and mixed-signal designs that enable modern communication systems. The first part of the research deals with broadband wireless receivers. With an objective to gain insight, we quantify the impact of undesired out-band blockers on analog baseband in a broadband radio. We present a systematic evaluation of the dynamic range requirements at the baseband and A/D conversion boundary. A prototype UHF receiver designed using RFCMOS 0.18[mu]m technology to support this research integrates a hybrid continuous- and discrete-time analog baseband along with the RF front-end. The chip consumes 120mW from a 1.8V/2.5V dual supply and achieves a noise figure of 7.9dB, an IIP3 of -8dBm (+2dbm) at maximum gain (at 9dB RF attenuation). High linearity active RC filters are indispensable in wireless radios. A novel feed-forward OTA applicable to active RC filters in analog baseband is presented. Simulation results from the chip prototype designed in RFCMOS 0.18[mu]m technology show an improvement in the out-band linearity performance that translates to increased dynamic range in the presence of strong adjacent blockers. The second part of the research presents an adaptive clock-recovery system suitable for high-speed wireline transceivers. The main objective is to improve the jitter-tracking and jitter-filtering trade-off in serial link clock-recovery applications. A digital state-machine that enables the proposed mixed-signal adaptation solution to achieve this objective is presented. The advantages of the proposed mixed-signal solution operating at 10Gb/s are supported by experimental results from the prototype in RFCMOS 0.18[mu]m technology.

As the volume of data processed by computers and telecommunication devices rapidly increases, high speed serial link has been challenged to maximize its I/O bandwidth with limited resources of channels and semiconductor devices. This trend requires designers’ relentless effort for innovations. The innovations are required not only at system level but also at sub-system and circuit level. This dissertation discusses two important topics regarding high speed serial links: Clock and Data Recovery (CDR) and Current Mode Logic (CML). This dissertation proposes a mixed-mode adaptive loop gain Bang-Bang CDR. The proposed CDR enhances jitter performances even if jitter spectrum information is limited a priori. By exploiting the inherent hard-nonlinearity of the Bang-Bang Phase Detector (BBPD), the CDR loop gain is adaptively adjusted based on a posteriori jitter spectrum estimation. Maximizing advantages of analog and digital implementations, the proposed mixed-mode technique achieves PVT insensitive and power efficient loop gain adaptation for high speed applications even in limited ft technologies. A modified CML D-latch improves CDR input sensitivity and BBPD performance. A folded-cascode-based Charge Pump (CP) is proposed to minimize CP latency. The effectiveness of the proposed techniques was experimentally demonstrated by various jitter performance tests. This dissertation also presents a process-variation-resilient CML. A typical CML requires over-design to meet the specification over the wide range of process parameter variations. To address this issue, the proposed CML employs a time-reference-based adaptive biasing chain with replica load. It adjusts a variable load resistor to simultaneously regulate time-constant, voltage swing, level-shifting and DC gain. The performance of the high speed building blocks such as Bang-Bang Phase Detectors, frequency dividers and PRBS generators can be more accurately regulated with the proposed CML approach. The prototype is fabricated to experimentally compare the process-variation-induced performance degradation between the conventional and the proposed CML. Compared to the conventional CML, the proposed architecture significantly reduces the performance degradation on divider self-oscillation frequency, PRBS generator speed and PRBS output jitters over the process-variation with only <3% additional power dissipation.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2005. / Kucic, Matthew, Committee Member ; Hasler, Paul, Committee Chair ; Heck, Bonnie, Committee Member ; Cressler, John, Committee Member ; Anderson, David, Committee Member. Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:30:32Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2009-11-25Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T21:01:20Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 oliveira_vjs_dr_ilha.pdf: 2584742 bytes, checksum: ae7b3113a196a5051a808dbb371dece4 (MD5) / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) / Nesta tese, propõe-se um sintetizador de freqüência baseado em phase locked loops (PLL) usando uma arquitetura que utiliza um dual-path loop filter, constituído de componentes passivos e um integrador digital. A proposta é empregar técnicas digitais, para reduzir o custo da implementação do sintetizador de freqüência, e flexibilizar o projeto do loop filter, para possibilitar que a arquitetura opere em uma faixa de freqüência larga de operação e com redução de tons espúrios. O loop filter digital é constituído de um contador crescente/ decrescente cujo clock é proveniente da amostragem da diferença de fase de entrada. As técnicas digitais aplicadas ao loop filter se baseiam em alterações da operação do contador, em tempos pré-estabelecidos, os quais são controlados digitalmente. Essas técnicas possibilitam reduzir o tempo de estabelecimento do PLL ao mesmo tempo em que problemas de estabilidade são resolvidos. No desenvolvimento da técnica de dual-path foi realizado o estudo de sua estabilidade, primeiramente, considerando a aproximação do PLL para um sistema linear e depois usando controle digital. Nesse estudo foram deduzidas as equações do sistema, no domínio contínuo e discreto, tanto para o projeto da estabilidade, quanto para descrever o comportamento do PLL. A metodologia top-down é usada no projeto do circuito integrado. As simulações em nível de sistema são usadas, primeiramente, para as criações das técnicas e posteriormente para a verificação do seu comportamento, usando modelos calibrados com os blocos projetados em nível de transistor. O circuito integrado é proposto para ser aplicado em identificação por rádio freqüência (RFID) na banda de UHF (Ultra High Frequency), usando multi-standard, e deve operar na faixa de 850 MHz a 1010 MHz. O sintetizador de freqüência foi projetado na tecnologia CMOS... / In this thesis, a frequency synthesizers phase locked loops (PLL) based with an architecture that uses a dual-path loop filter consisting of passive components and a digital integrator are proposed. The objective is to employ digital techniques to reduce the implementation cost and get loop filter design flexibility to enable the architecture to have a large tuning range operation and spurious reduction. The digital loop filter is based in an up/down counter where the phase difference is sampled to generate the clock of the counter. The techniques applied in the digital path are based in digitally controlled changes in the counter operation in predefined time points. These techniques provide PLL settling time reductions whiling the stability issues are solved. The stability study of the proposed dual path has been developed. First the linear system approximation for the PLL has been assumed and then employing digital control. The continuous and discrete time equations of architecture were derived in that study applied to stability design as well as to describe the architecture behavior. The top-down methodology has been applied to the integrated circuit design. In the beginning, the system level simulations are used for the techniques creation and then the behavioral models that were calibrated with transistor level blocks are simulated. The application of the circuit is proposed to Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) using UHF (Ultra High Frequency) band for multi-standards application and will operate in range of 850 MHz to 1010 MHz. The proposed frequency synthesizer has been designed in the AMS 0.35 μm CMOS technology with 2V power supply. A 300 μs of settling time and 140 Hz of resolution was obtained in simulations. The proposed frequency synthesizer have low complexity and shown a reference noise suppression about 45.6 dB better than the conventional architecture

O desenvolvimento de tecnologias de integração para circuitos integrados junto com a demanda de cada vez mais processamento digital de sinais, como em sistemas de telecomunicações e aplicações SOC, resultaram na crescente necessidade de circuitos mistos em tecnologia CMOS integrados em um único chip. Em um trabalho anterior, a arquitetura de uma interface analógica para ser usada em aplicações SOC mistas foi desenvolvida e implementada. Basicamente esta interface é composta por uma célula analógica fixa (fixed analog cell – FAC), que translada o sinal de entrada para uma freqüência de processamento fixa, e por um bloco digital que processa este sinal. Primeiramente, as especificações de sistema foram determinadas considerando o processamento de sinais de três bandas de freqüência diferentes: FM, vídeo e celular, seguido por simulações de alto-nível do sistema da FAC. Então, uma arquitetura heteródina integrada CMOS para o front-end que integrará a FAC, composto por 2 mixers ativos e um amplificador de ganho variável, foi apresentada, enumerando-se e propondo-se soluções para os desafios de projeto e metodologia. Os blocos analógicos/RF, juntamente com o front-end, foram projetados e implementados em tecnologia CMOS IBM 0.18μm, apresentando-se simulações e medidas de um protótipo físico. / The development of IC technologies coupled with the demand for more digital signal processing integrated in a single chip has created an increasing need for design of mixed-signal systems in CMOS technology. Previously, a general analog interface architecture targeted to mixed-signal systems on-chip applications was developed and implemented, which is composed by a fixed analog cell (FAC), that translates the input signal to a processing frequency, and a digital block, that processes the signal. The focus of this thesis is to analyze, design and implement analog/RF building blocks suitable for this system. First, a set of system specifications is developed and verified through system level simulations for the FAC system, aiming the signal processing of three target applications: FM, video and digital cellular frequency bands. Then, a fully CMOS integrated dual-conversion heterodyne front-end architecture with 2 active mixers and a variable-gain amplifier is presented, enumerating and proposing solutions for the design challenges and methodology. The stand-alone building blocks and the front-end system are designed and implemented in IBM 0.18μm CMOS process, presenting simulations and experimental data from an actual physical prototype.

O desenvolvimento de tecnologias de integração para circuitos integrados junto com a demanda de cada vez mais processamento digital de sinais, como em sistemas de telecomunicações e aplicações SOC, resultaram na crescente necessidade de circuitos mistos em tecnologia CMOS integrados em um único chip. Em um trabalho anterior, a arquitetura de uma interface analógica para ser usada em aplicações SOC mistas foi desenvolvida e implementada. Basicamente esta interface é composta por uma célula analógica fixa (fixed analog cell – FAC), que translada o sinal de entrada para uma freqüência de processamento fixa, e por um bloco digital que processa este sinal. Primeiramente, as especificações de sistema foram determinadas considerando o processamento de sinais de três bandas de freqüência diferentes: FM, vídeo e celular, seguido por simulações de alto-nível do sistema da FAC. Então, uma arquitetura heteródina integrada CMOS para o front-end que integrará a FAC, composto por 2 mixers ativos e um amplificador de ganho variável, foi apresentada, enumerando-se e propondo-se soluções para os desafios de projeto e metodologia. Os blocos analógicos/RF, juntamente com o front-end, foram projetados e implementados em tecnologia CMOS IBM 0.18μm, apresentando-se simulações e medidas de um protótipo físico. / The development of IC technologies coupled with the demand for more digital signal processing integrated in a single chip has created an increasing need for design of mixed-signal systems in CMOS technology. Previously, a general analog interface architecture targeted to mixed-signal systems on-chip applications was developed and implemented, which is composed by a fixed analog cell (FAC), that translates the input signal to a processing frequency, and a digital block, that processes the signal. The focus of this thesis is to analyze, design and implement analog/RF building blocks suitable for this system. First, a set of system specifications is developed and verified through system level simulations for the FAC system, aiming the signal processing of three target applications: FM, video and digital cellular frequency bands. Then, a fully CMOS integrated dual-conversion heterodyne front-end architecture with 2 active mixers and a variable-gain amplifier is presented, enumerating and proposing solutions for the design challenges and methodology. The stand-alone building blocks and the front-end system are designed and implemented in IBM 0.18μm CMOS process, presenting simulations and experimental data from an actual physical prototype.

O desenvolvimento de tecnologias de integração para circuitos integrados junto com a demanda de cada vez mais processamento digital de sinais, como em sistemas de telecomunicações e aplicações SOC, resultaram na crescente necessidade de circuitos mistos em tecnologia CMOS integrados em um único chip. Em um trabalho anterior, a arquitetura de uma interface analógica para ser usada em aplicações SOC mistas foi desenvolvida e implementada. Basicamente esta interface é composta por uma célula analógica fixa (fixed analog cell – FAC), que translada o sinal de entrada para uma freqüência de processamento fixa, e por um bloco digital que processa este sinal. Primeiramente, as especificações de sistema foram determinadas considerando o processamento de sinais de três bandas de freqüência diferentes: FM, vídeo e celular, seguido por simulações de alto-nível do sistema da FAC. Então, uma arquitetura heteródina integrada CMOS para o front-end que integrará a FAC, composto por 2 mixers ativos e um amplificador de ganho variável, foi apresentada, enumerando-se e propondo-se soluções para os desafios de projeto e metodologia. Os blocos analógicos/RF, juntamente com o front-end, foram projetados e implementados em tecnologia CMOS IBM 0.18μm, apresentando-se simulações e medidas de um protótipo físico. / The development of IC technologies coupled with the demand for more digital signal processing integrated in a single chip has created an increasing need for design of mixed-signal systems in CMOS technology. Previously, a general analog interface architecture targeted to mixed-signal systems on-chip applications was developed and implemented, which is composed by a fixed analog cell (FAC), that translates the input signal to a processing frequency, and a digital block, that processes the signal. The focus of this thesis is to analyze, design and implement analog/RF building blocks suitable for this system. First, a set of system specifications is developed and verified through system level simulations for the FAC system, aiming the signal processing of three target applications: FM, video and digital cellular frequency bands. Then, a fully CMOS integrated dual-conversion heterodyne front-end architecture with 2 active mixers and a variable-gain amplifier is presented, enumerating and proposing solutions for the design challenges and methodology. The stand-alone building blocks and the front-end system are designed and implemented in IBM 0.18μm CMOS process, presenting simulations and experimental data from an actual physical prototype.

Les capteurs intelligents permettentaux systèmes embarqués d’analyser leurenvironnement sans transmission de donnéesbrutes, consommatrice d’énergie. Ce mémoireprésente donc un travail sur un imageur intégrantdu traitement d’image. Deux figures de méritesont introduites pour classer l’état de l’art desimageurs intelligents en fonction de leurversatilité et de leur préservation de la surfacephotosensible. Cela met en évidence uncompromis que ce travail essaie d’améliorer enexplorant une approche par macropixels. Eneffet, en regroupant les éléments de calculs (PEs)pour plusieurs pixels, les traitements sont à lafois massivement parallèles et potentiellementplus versatiles à surface photosensible donnée.Une adaptation du filtrage spatial et du filtragetemporel en adéquation avec une architecture parmacropixels est proposée (sous-échantillonnagepar 3x3 pixels et par 2x2 pixels respectivement),et validée fonctionnellement. Une architectured’imageur en macropixels asymétriques est doncprésentée. Le PE conçu est un circuit analogiqueà capacités commutées, programmable par uncontrôle numérique extérieur à la matrice. Sondimensionnement est discuté pour descompromis entre surface et précision des calculs,avant d’être implémenté en calcul approximépour notre cas. La matrice proposée a été simuléeen vue extraite et présente des images de résultatsde détection de contours ou de différencetemporelle corrects, avec un facteur deremplissage de 28%. / Smart sensors allow embeddedsystems for analysing their environment withoutany transmission of raw data, which consumes alot of power. This thesis presents an imagesensor integrating image processing tasks. Twofigures of merit are introduced in order toclassify the state of the art of smart imagersregarding their versatility and their preservationof photosensitive area. This shows a trade-offthat this work aims at improving by using amacropixel approach. By merging processingelements (PEs) between several pixels,processing tasks are both massively parallel andpotentially more versatile at givenphotosensitive area. An adaptation of spatial andtemporal filtering, matching such anarchitecture is proposed (downsampling by3x3 and 2x2 pixels respectively for eachprocessing task) and functionnally validated. Anarchitecture of asymmetric macropixels is thuspresented. The designed PE is an analogswitched capacitor circuit that is controlled byout-of-matrix digital electronics. The sizing ofthe PE is discussed over the trade-off betweenaccuracy and area, and implemented in anapproximate computing approach in our study.The proposed matrix of pixels and PEs issimulated in post-layout extracted views andshows good results on computed images of edgedetection or temporal difference, with a 28% fillfactor.