The objective of the proposed research is to create new reconfigurable RF and millimeter-wave circuit topologies that enable significant systems benefits. The market of RF systems has long evolved under a paradigm where once a system is built, performance cannot be changed. Companies have recognized that building flexibility into RF systems and providing mechanisms to reconfigure the RF performance can enable significant benefits, including: the ability support multiple modulation schemes and standards, the reduction of product size and overdesign, the ability to adapt to environmental conditions, the improvement in spectrum utilization, and the ability to calibrate, characterize, and monitor system performance. This work demonstrates X-band LNA designs with the ability to change the frequency of operation, improve linearity, and digitally control the tradeoff between performance and power dissipation. At W-band frequencies, a novel device configuration is developed, which significantly improves state-of-the-art silicon-based switch performance. The excellent switch performance is leveraged to address major issues in current millimeter-wave systems. A front-end built-in-self-test switch topology is developed to facilitate the characterization of millimeter-wave transceivers without expensive millimeter-wave equipment. A highly integrated Dicke radiometer is also created to enable sensitive measurements of thermal noise.

No description available.

Millimeter wave (mm-Wave) has become increasingly popular frequency band for next-generation high-speed wireless communications. In mm-Wave, the wireless channel path loss is severe, demanding a high output power in transmitters (Tx) to meet a required SNR in receivers (Rx). Due to the intractable speed-power tradeoff ingrained in silicon processes, however, achieving a high power at mm-Wave, particularly over W-band (> 90 GHz), is challenging in silicon power amplifiers. To relieve the output power burden, phased-arrays are widely adopted in mm-Wave wireless communication systems -- namely, by leveraging a parallel power combining in the space domain, inherent in the phased arrays, the required output power per array element can be reduced significantly with increasing array size. In large arrays ( > 100's -- 1000's number of arrays), the required output power per element could be small, typically around several 10's mW or less in silicon-based phased arrays. In such small-to-medium scale output power level, the static power dissipations by transistor knee voltage and passive components could be a significant portion of the output power, decreasing power efficiency of power amplifiers drastically. This poses a significant concern on the power efficiency of the large-scale silicon-based phased arrays in mm-Wave. Another critical problem in mm-Wave wireless systems design is the increase of passive reactive components loss caused by worsening skin depth effect and increasing dielectric loss through silicon substrate. This essentially degrades the reactive components quality factor (Q) and limits frequency selectivity of the silicon-based mm-Wave systems. This thesis tackles these two major technical challenges to provide high frequency selectivity with maintaining high power efficiency for future mm-Wave wireless systems over W-band and beyond. First, various high-efficiency techniques such as impedance tuning with a reactive component at a cascoding stage in conventional stacked power amplifiers or load-pull based inter-stage matching technique, rather than conventional conjugate matching, have been applied to W-band CMOS and SiGe BiCMOS amplifiers to improve power efficiency with 5-10 dBm output power level, suitable for a large phased array applications, as detailed in Chapter 2 and 3. Second, a 4-tap finite impulse response (FIR) filter based receiver architecture is presented in Chapter 4. The FIR filtered receiver leverages a sinc-pulse type frequency nulls built-in in the transmission-line based FIR filter's frequency response to increase frequency selectivity. The proposed FIR filtered receiver achieves > 40-dB image rejection by placing an image signal at the null frequency at D-band, one of the largest image rejection performance at the highest frequency band reported so far. / Ph. D. / Due to recent advances in Silicon based solid-state technologies, the interest towards the millimeter wave (mm-Wave) frequency band has been emerging for next-generation high-speed wireless communication applications. One of the most significant parameters in a communication system would be the output power of a transmitter. However, the output power is limited especially at mm-wave frequencies. A phased array is one of the viable solutions to overcome this burden by utilizing a parallel power combing in the space domain. The required output power per element can be relieved, typically around several tens of mill watts or less. There are two major factors limiting the output power, which are the high loss of passive and active devices. This dissertation presents solutions to overcome these challenges. In addition, a 4-tap finite impulse response (FIR) filter based receiver architecture is introduced, which rejects unwanted image signals in heterodyne systems by utilizing sinc-pulse type frequency nulls. The proposed FIR filter achieves more than 40 dB of image rejection at D-band (110-170 GHz), which is one of the highest filtering performance in the millimeter-wave frequency band.

This thesis presents the rectifying antenna potential for infrared and millimeter wave energy conversion. Infrared imaging is one of the emerging technologies that have attracted considerable attention in the next generation of military, medical, and commercial applications. Moreover, with the ever-increasing congestion of the electromagnetic spectrum at RF and microwave frequencies and the establishment of firm civilian and military requirements best met by millimeter wave systems, the interest in the technology has grown and is now firmly established. During this work a 2.5GHz slot antenna, a 2.5GHz Schottky diode detector, a CPW-to-Microstrip transition, a fully integrated Rectenna element, and a 94GHz slot antenna were designed, fabricated, and tested. Results on the performance of the devices show a great deal of correlation between the simulated and measured data. To perform an initial study, the CPW-fed narrow slot antenna is designed at 2.5GHz and implemented on an FR-4 board. This investigation serves as the basis for the development of the Rectenna element at millimeter wave frequencies. In order to increase the bandwidth of the slot antenna, a 2.5GHz CPW-fed wide slot antenna with U-shaped tuning stub is realized, which provides a 60% increase in bandwidth while keeping the same radiation characteristics. In addition, a set of simulations is performed to show how a reflector plate affects the radiating properties of the slot antenna. A 2.5GHz square-law detector is also designed, fabricated, and tested in order to rectify the RF signal delivered by the antenna. The fabricated detector presents a well matched condition at the design frequency with a dynamic range found to be from --17dBm to --50dBm. The low frequency Rectenna element prototype is then integrated within a single FR-4 board. This is accomplished by implementing a compact via-less CPW-to-Microstrip transition. Finally, a 94GHz CPW-fed wide slot antenna is realized on a 10μm high resistivity silicon membrane. This antenna shows a great deal of similarity to the 2.5GHz slot antenna. This low profile antenna presents at least a 10dB return loss over the entire W band frequency window. Simulated antenna efficiencies of up to 99% were achieved assuming a perfect conductor.

Die Elektronen-Spin-Resonanz (ESR) Spektroskopie hat sich in Verbindung mit der Spinsondentechnik (SDSL) bereits seit einigen Jahren zur Struktur- und Dynamikanalyse von Biomakromolekülen etabliert. Diese Dissertation beschäftigt sich mit dem Aufbau eines Hochfeld-/Hochfrequenz-ESR-Spektrometers bei 3,4T/95GHz (W-Band) und drei attraktiven Anwendungen auf spinmarkierte Proteine. Als eine Anwendung wird die Bestimmung von Polaritäten und Protizitäten spinmarkierter Positionen des sensorischen Rhodopsin-Transducer-Komplexes (SRII/HtrII) aus Natronomonas pharaonis mit Hilfe von cw-Messungen bei Temperaturen <190 K präsentiert. Es werden Rückschlüsse auf die Struktur der HAMP-Domäne des Proteinkomplexes durchgeführt. Positionsabhängige Unterschiede der Protizität werden auf verschiedene Anteile mit null bis zwei Wasserstoffbrücken zum Nitroxid zurückgeführt. Als nächste Anwendung wird die Gewinnung von Reorientierungspotentialen der Spinträgerseitenkette mit dem SRLS-Model und in Kombination mit X- und Q-Bandmessungen bei Raumtemperatur demonstriert. Für die spinmarkierte Position einer Konformation des SRII/HTrII ergibt sich ein Potential, dass mit Ergebnissen von Molekulardynamiksimulationen eines helikalen Polypeptids gut übereinstimmt. Ebenfalls durchgeführt wurde die Bestimmung des Potentials an Position 166 der Kanal bildenden Domäne des Colicin A aus E. coli. Schließlich werden im Temperaturbereich von 120 bis 220 K die Einflüsse verschiedener (Isotopen-)Derivate des Spinlabels und der Einfluss der Wasserprotonen auf den Hahn-Echozerfall zur Bestimmung orientierungsabhängiger Librationsamplituden an einer weiteren SRII/HtrII-Probe und der gleichen Colicin A-Probe wie oben vorgestellt. Es werden Folgerungen für die Struktur der Proteine gezogen und, im Fall der Colicin A-Probe, ein Bezug zur Kristallstruktur hergestellt.

Résumé: Parmi les technologies du 21e siècle en pleine expansion, la télécommunication sans-fil constitue une dimension fondamentale pour les réseaux mobiles, l’aéronautique, les applications spatiales et les systèmes de positionnement par satellites. Les nouveaux défis à surmonter sont à la fois l’augmentation des distances de transmission associée à l’accroissement des quantités de données véhiculées ainsi que la miniaturisation, la réduction du coût de production, la moindre consommation énergétique et la fiabilité de la solution technologique employée pour la chaîne de transmission. Dans ce sens, l’exploitation de bandes de plus hautes fréquences et la multiplication des canaux de transmission sont activement visées par les travaux de recherches actuels. Les technologies à l’étude reposent sur l’utilisation de systèmes intégrés pour répondre aux considérations de coûts de fabrication et d’encombrement. L’élément de base de ces systèmes, le transistor, établit largement la performance du dispositif final en termes de montée en fréquence, de fiabilité et de consommation. Afin de répondre aux défis présents et futurs, des alternatives à la filière silicium sont clairement envisagées. À ce jour, la filière nitrure de gallium est présentée comme la plus prometteuse pour l’amplification de puissance en bande Ka et W au vu de ses caractéristiques physiques et électriques, des performances atteintes par les prototypes réalisés et des premiers produits commerciaux (off-the-shelf) disponibles. L’exploitation de cette technologie à son plein potentiel s’appuie particulièrement sur la maîtrise des étapes de fabrication, de caractérisation et de modélisation du transistor. Ce travail de thèse a pour objectif le déploiement d’une méthodologie permettant la modélisation semi-physique de transistors fabriqués expérimentalement et démontrant des performances à l’état de l’art. Une partie conséquente de ce travail portera sur la caractérisation thermique du dispositif en fonctionnement ainsi que sur la modélisation d’éléments secondaires (éléments passifs) pour la conception d’un circuit amplificateur hyperfréquence. / Abstract: Amongst the emerging and developing technologies of the 21st century, wireless transmission is a fundamental aspect for mobile networks, aeronautics, spatial applications and global positioning systems. Concerning the associated technological solutions, the new challenges to overcome are both the performance increases in terms of data quantity as well as the associated device features in terms of size, production costs, energetic consumption and reliability. In that sense, the use of higher frequency bandwidths and increase of transmission channels are aimed by various current research works. Investigated technologies are based upon integrated systems to meet the criteria of devices costs and size. As the cornerstone of such devices, the transistor largely accounts for the final system performance in terms of working frequency, reliability and consumption. To respond to the challenges of today and tomorrow challenges, alternatives to the dominant current silicon process are clearly considered. To date, gallium nitride based technology is found to be the most promising for hyperfrequency power amplification for Ka and W bands given the associated physical and electrical characteristics, prototypes performance and first commercial “off-the-shelf” products. Exploitation of this technology to its full potential requires controlling and mastering the involved fabrication, characterization and modeling steps related to the transistor. This work aims at establishing a methodology enabling a semi-physical modeling of experimental transistors which exhibit state-of-the-art performance. A significant part of this work will also focus on thermal characterization of devices under test and on modeling of secondary elements (passive elements) suited for the design of hyperfrequency amplifiers.

Les radars millimétriques en bande W (75-110 GHz) sont en plein essor, grâce notamment aux progrès des circuits intégrés, permettant de réaliser des systèmes compacts à bas coût et haute résolution due à la courte longueur d’onde. Dans un premier temps, ces systèmes ont été utilisés à des fins de détection et de localisation, avec à terme, pour objectif l’identification. Ainsi, des systèmes d’imagerie radar ont été développés, notamment grâce à l’imagerie qualitative, basée par exemple sur l’imagerie radar par synthèse d’ouverture (SAR). Cependant, afin de reconstruire les propriétés électromagnétiques des objets pour une identification complète, il est nécessaire de développer des algorithmes de reconstruction quantitatifs. Le travail présenté dans ce manuscrit est de poser les bases d’un système d’imagerie qualitative et quantitative en gamme millimétrique pour la détection et l’identification des objets sur les pistes d’aéroport par tomographie, tenant compte de la polarisation de l’onde incidente. Au cours de cette thèse, un outil de simulation permettant de la résolution des problèmes direct et inverse, pour les deux types de polarisation à deux dimensions 2D-TE et 2D-TM, basé sur la méthode des moments (MoM) a été développé. La première étape a consisté en la validation du problème direct en effectuant des comparaisons numériques avec des solutions analytiques pour des cibles canoniques. Ensuite, des mesures expérimentales ont été effectuées et comparées aux résultats numériques. Enfin, les résultats des reconstructions obtenus ont permis de valider l’algorithme de reconstruction 2D développé pour l’imagerie quantitative. / Millimeter-wave radar systems in W-band (75-110 GHz) are booming, due to advances in integrated circuits, allowing the fabrication of low-cost and high-resolution compact systems, thanks to the short wavelength. First, these systems were used for detecting and localizing purposes, with the aim of identification. Thus, imaging radar systems have been developed, especially using qualitative imaging, based for example, on Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR). Nevertheless, in order to reconstruct the electromagnetic properties of objects, for a complete identification, we must develop quantitative reconstruction algorithms. The work presented in this manuscript is to give the basis of a qualitative and quantitative millimeter wave imaging system for detecting and identifying foreign debris on airport runways using tomography, taking into account the polarization of the incident wave. In this thesis, a simulation tool for solving forward and inverse problems, for the two-dimensional polarization cases 2D-TM and 2D-TE, based on the method of moments (MoM) has been developed. The first step was to study the validation of the direct problem by comparing numerical results with analytical solutions for canonical targets. Then, experimental measurements have ben carried out and compared with numerical results. Finally, reconstruction results obtained have validated the reconstruction algorithm developed for quantitative imaging.

Design techniques and procedures to improve performances of radio-frequency and millimeter-wave front-end integrated circuits were developed. Power amplifiers for high data-rate wireless communication applications were designed using CMOS technology employing a novel device resizing and concurrent power-combining technique to implement a multi-mode operation. Comprehensive analysis on the efficiency degradation effect of multi-input-single-output combining transformers with idle input terminals was performed. The proposed discrete resizing and power-combining technique effectively enhanced the efficiency of a linear CMOS power amplifier at back-off power levels. In addition, a novel power-combining transformer that is suitable to generate multi-watt-level output power was proposed and implemented. Employing the proposed power-combining transformer, a high-power linear CMOS power amplifier was designed. Furthermore, receiver building blocks such as a low-noise amplifier, a down-conversion mixer, and a passive balun were implemented using SiGe technology for W-band applications.

Novel polymer-enhanced photodefined through-silicon via (TSV) and passive technologies have been demonstrated for silicon interposers to obtain compact heterogeneous computing and mixed-signal systems. These technologies include: (1) Polymer-clad TSVs with thick (~20 µm) liners to help reduce TSV losses and stress, and obtain optical TSVs in parallel for interposer-to-interposer long-distance communication; (2) Polymer-embedded vias with copper vias embedded in polymer wells to significantly reduce the TSV losses; (3) Coaxial vias in polymer wells to reduce the TSV losses with controlled impedance; (4) Antennas over polymer wells to attain a high radiation efficiency; and (5) High-Q inductors over polymer wells. Cleanroom fabrication and characterization of the technologies have been demonstrated. For the fabricated polymer-clad TSVs, resistance and synchrotron x-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements have been demonstrated. High-frequency measurements up to 170 GHz and time-domain measurements up to 10 Gbps have been demonstrated for the fabricated polymer-embedded vias. For the fabricated coaxial vias and inductors, high-frequency measurements up to 50 GHz have been demonstrated. Lastly, for the fabricated antennas, measurements in the W-band have been demonstrated.

No description available.