Enabling High Frequency Electronics

Enabling
High Frequency Electronics
Ernesto Limiti
ARES and Dipartimento di Ingegneria Elettronica,
Università degli Studi di Roma Tor Vergata
[email protected]
EE Dept., Università di Roma Tor Vergata, Italy, 26th September 2014
ARES and High Frequency Electronics
• ARES Consortium has its main facilities and competences in
high-frequency electronics at the Department of Electronic
Engineering (DIE) of the University of Roma Tor Vergata (the
building where the meeting is held).
• The group at the DIE is composed by more than 20 people,
including permanent staff (professors, researchers, technicians)
and post-doc/PhDs.
• The heritage in microwaves and millimeter wave techniques
dates back to the early ‘80s, thus summing up to more than 30
years experience.
EE Dept., Università di Roma Tor Vergata, Italy, 26th September 2014
2
ARES Activities - 1
Two main directions, namely
• Device/subsystem characterization and modelling: linear,
non-linear and noise up to 110GHz (and above), scaleable, biasdependent modelling with different approaches (equivalentcircuit, black-box, physical).
• Circuit and subsystem design: Amplifiers (PAs, LNAs, VGAs,
DPAs ...), Mixers (resistive, passive, active …), frequency
multipliers, multifunction (Core chips, TR chips, Integrated
Receivers …) adopting state-of-the-art design methodologies.
Long-track experience in Hybrid as well as MMIC design with
many foundries (SLX, UMS, OMMIC, NGS, TRW, Triquint,
Raytheon, …).
EE Dept., Università di Roma Tor Vergata, Italy, 26th September 2014
3
ARES Characterization Facilities - 1
Tor Vergata
• 2 Vector Network Analysers (HP 8510C 0.05-50 GHz and Anritsu 37XXXD,
0.05-65 GHz, extended to 110 GHz)
• 2 Spectrum Analyser (HP 70000 DC-40 GHz, Agilent PSA E4448A 3Hz50GHz)
• Noise Measurement System (HP8970B-HP8971C DC-26.5 GHz, with
proprietary amplified SSB extension to 40 GHz)
• 2 Elettromechanical Tuners (Focus 0.08-18 GHz e 3-50 GHz)
• Digital Sampling Oscilloscope (TekTronix up to 50 GHz)
• I-V Pulsed Measurement System (GaAs Code)
• Power Amplifier (AR 0.8-4.2 GHz - 25 W)
• Synthesised Sources (2 Anritsu MG3692A 2-20 GHz e HP 83640A DC-40
GHz)
• Vector Signal Source (Agilent E4438C 250 kHz-6 GHz)
• Probe Stations (Cascade Microtech RF-1 and proprietary semi-authomated
one, equipped with anti-vibrating tables)
• Cryogenic Probe Station (down to 20 K, proprietary)
• Test-fixtures (Wiltron, Agilent, …)
EE Dept., Università di Roma Tor Vergata, Italy, 26th September 2014
4
ARES Characterization Facilities - 2
Closed Loop Cryo probe station (down to 20K)
Access to Active Harmonic Load-Pull
Access to Phase noise characterisation
PHASE NOISE DATA ACQUISITION
Computer Controlled
Microwave Tuner
SP4T
BANDPASS FILTER
AT 6.5 GHz
S3c
CIRCULATOR
CH 1
T3
DIRECTIONAL
COUPLER
NS
DIRECTIONAL
COUPLER
S3
50 Ohm
ISOLATOR
TERM
BIAS
TEE
TUNER
IN
TUNER
OUT
DUT
SOURCE-PULL BLOCK
OUTPUT BLOCK
RCVR
DPDT
Computer Controlled
Microwave Tuner
BIAS TEE
BIAS TEE
T1
VNA Reference Planes
S1
Probe Station
On Wafer
DEVICE
PC SOFTWARE
CONTROL
AND DATA
ACQUISITION
EE Dept., Università di Roma Tor Vergata, Italy, 26th September 2014
ZOUT TUNING
Gate/Base
Bias Network
ISOLATOR
T2
S2
ZIN TUNING
DUT Reference Planes
CH 2
BIAS
TEE
LOOP FREQUENCY
AND AMPLITUDE TUNING
VNA
Computer Controlled
Microwave Tuner
POWER AND FREQUENCY DATA ACQUISITION
S-Par &Noise integrated Test Bench
SPECTRUM
ANALYZER AND
POWER METER
E5052A SIGNAL
SOURCE ANALYZER
Drain/Coll
Bias Supply
IC/ID ACQUISITION
5
ARES Activities - 2
ARES facilities are clearly used for internally-funded and
coordinated basic research, and are very often adopted to support
external companies for
• Technology assessment
• Technology optimization (realise-characterise-model loop)
• Technology development
• Realized subsystem characterization
• Active/passive device model extractions
• PDKs development and verification
• ad-hoc modelling
EE Dept., Università di Roma Tor Vergata, Italy, 26th September 2014
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ARES Activities - 3
Examples :
•
KorriGan : first large European-scale GaN project, in which
MECSA acted (also) as device modelling center for Selex,
III-V Lab and QinetiQ technologies, with evolving
technologies.
•
GARANTE : Italian MoD project for 0.25m GaN
technology assessment (Selex ES).
•
Quagas : ASI project for Space qualification of 0.25m
GaAs technology (Selex ES).
•
TeraSCREEN : FP7 project, within which a 0.04m
mHEMT technology is developed (OMMIC).
•
In the past, several examples including COSMIC,
MANPOWER, ESPRIT IV European projects.
EE Dept., Università di Roma Tor Vergata, Italy, 26th September 2014
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ARES Activities - 4
… but also technological investigations:
• Physical simulation and modelling (Monte Carlo, Driftdiffusion …), using both commercial and ad-hoc simulation
tools.
• Thermal simulation and modelling (by using commercial and
ad-hoc simulation tools)
• Thermal characterization (nonlinear thermal impedance
measurements)
• Basic technological exploration (e.g. different semiconductor
alloys and devices with non-conventional operating principles,
such as Diamond)
EE Dept., Università di Roma Tor Vergata, Italy, 26th September 2014
8
ARES Activities - 5
• Regarding microwave circuit design, the research focus has
been historically directed towards Design Methodologies
for high-efficiency transmitting subsystems and high
performance receivers.
• The heritage of ARES as circuit design center dates back to
the early ’90s with the COSMIC FP2 project (monolithic
transimpedance amplifier design) and continues since then
with the participation to many projects, both national and
international, public- or privately funded.
• All the major CAD tools are available (circuit, system and
EM-oriented), also for commercial use.
• A representative list is attempted in the following, as an
example of ARES capabilities and offer.
EE Dept., Università di Roma Tor Vergata, Italy, 26th September 2014
9
EDA project KorriGAN - 1
Development of GaN HEMT Technology in Europe
(KorriGAN), (2005-2009).
• To take advantage of high power densities and power
handling of GaN, Switching SPDT (up to 18 GHz)
for transmitters.
• Design with Selex – SI and Tiger GaN 0.25 μm
microstrip technology
X Band SPDT GaN Switch
• Small- and Large-signal characterization of HEMT
devices for switching applications
• Device modelling
• Broadband (2-18 GHz) and Narrowband (X Band)
SPDT switch design
2‐18 GHz SPDT GaN Switch
EE Dept., Università di Roma Tor Vergata, Italy, 26th September 2014
10
EDA project KorriGAN - 2
Development of GaN HEMT Technology in Europe
(KorriGAN), (2005-2009).
• To take advantage of high robustness and power
handling of GaN devices for Low Noise
applications.
• Design with Selex – SI GaN 0.25 μm microstrip
technology
2‐18 GHz GaN DLNA – V1
• Noise, Small- and Large-signal characterization of
HEMT devices for switching applications
• Device modelling
• 2 Broadband (2-18 GHz) robust LNA designs as
cascade of distributed amplifier cells
2‐18 GHz GaN DLNA – V2
EE Dept., Università di Roma Tor Vergata, Italy, 26th September 2014
11
ASI project PROMIX - 1
Design and implementation of the MMIC chip set for X-band T/R modules for
SAR Payload of second generation (PROMIX), (2009-2010).
• Application: X-band T/R modules for SAR
• 2m GaInP/GaAs HBT Technology HB20PX from
UMS
• Characterization of HBT devices for model
optimization
• Design and characterization of driver amplifiers and
HPAs operating in pulsed condition (100 us / 30%
duty)
X-band 1W MMIC Linear Power Amplifier
in InGaP/GaAs HBT Technology
• Optimization of HBT thermal behavior to avoid
thermal runaway
• BUS bar solution for the final stage
• Optimization of large signal working point to avoid
parametric oscillations
X-band 10W MMIC High Power Amplifier
in InGaP/GaAs HBT Technology
EE Dept., Università di Roma Tor Vergata, Italy, 26th September 2014
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ASI project PROMIX - 2
Design and implementation of the MMIC chip set for X-band T/R modules for
SAR Payload of second generation (PROMIX), (2009-2010).
• Application: X-band T/R modules for SAR
• 0.2m E/D PHEMT technology ED02AH from
OMMIC
• Design and realization of a X-Band Core Chip
featured by 6 bit phase control, 6 bit amplitude
control and T/R switch, with integrated 3-stages
LNA and MPA
• On-board S/P conversion
• T/R control of amplifiers’ biases
• Less than 15mm2 total area
X-band Core Chip in OMMIC
ED02AH Technology
EE Dept., Università di Roma Tor Vergata, Italy, 26th September 2014
13
ESA project SCFE
Single GaN Chip Front-End (SCFE), (2013-2014).
• Application: future generation of C-band T/R modules
for SAR
• 0.25m AlGaN/GaN HEMT Technology GH25 from
UMS and 0.5m AlGaN/GaN HEMT Technology
from Selex ES
• Foundries in the project team
UMS SCFE Layout.
MMIC size is 6.9 x 5.4 mm2
• Characterization of passive and active GaN devices for
model extraction/verification/optimization
• Design of SCFE in the two technologies integrating
HPA, LNA and T/R output switch to obtain 40W
output power (40% PAE), 36dB gain and 2.5dB NF in
C Band
SLX SCFE Layout.
MMIC size is 7.28 x 5.40 mm2.
EE Dept., Università di Roma Tor Vergata, Italy, 26th September 2014
14
FP6 project RadioNET (Pharos)
Advanced RadioAstronomy in Europe
(RadioNET), (2006-2009).
• Application: build the future instruments for C-Band
observation as focal-plane array receivers
• 0.2m pHEMT Technology ED02AH from OMMIC
• Design of the entire electronic focal plane array
components: LNAs, MPAs, PSs, ATTs (PAMs)
• Assembly and test of the entire focal plane array
• Cryogenic (20K) operation of the LNAs, 77K operation
of the PAMs
FPA prototype
LNA (full C-Band)
Buffered attenuator (full C-Band)
EE Dept., Università di Roma Tor Vergata, Italy, 26th September 2014
6-bit PS (full C-Band)
15
ESA project SMPA
Switched Mode Power Amplifiers Realization of a Transmitter based on
PWM (SMPA), (2013-2015).
Chip 1
AM1 (analog)
PWM On-chip
modulator driver
• Application: study and development of a
Solid State Transmitter for Synthetic
Aperture Radar (SAR) in P-band (435 MHz)
for Earth observation, capable of achieving
more than 80% efficiency at high power level
(150 W) employing European technologies
Matching and resonator
Power stage
Chip 2
Wilkinson
Combiner
AM2 (analog)
RF carrier Power
PWM On-chip
modulator driver
Matching and resonator
Power stage
Out
splitter
Chip 3
Wilkinson
Combiner
AM3 (analog)
PWM On-chip
modulator driver
Matching and resonator
Power stage
Chip 4
Wilkinson
Combiner
AM4 (analog)
• Driver stages and modulator: IHP CMOS
process
Output Performance
60
100
m13
50
m1480
40
60
30
20
m13
plot_vs(PAE[::,Index1], delta)=85.737
m14
plot_vs(Pout_dBm[::,Index1], delta)=45.758
10
0.10
40
PAE[::,Index1]
• Design of the power stages
Matching and resonator
Power stage
Transmitter architecture
Pout_dBm[::,Index1]
• Power stages : UMS discrete devices
(CHK040A)
PWM On-chip
modulator driver
20
0
0.15
0.20
0.25
0.30
0.35
0.40
0.45
0.50
Duty cycle
Preliminary performance
EE Dept., Università di Roma Tor Vergata, Italy, 26th September 2014
16
FP7 project SLOGAN
Space quaLification Of High-Power SSPA based on GaN technology
(SLOGAN), (2013-2016).
• Application: to evaluate and apply the
potentiality of mature UMS European GaN
based technology (GH-50) for space
applications, through the development of a
GaN SSPA EQM for the next generation of
Galileo satellites (E1 band, Pout 300W)
ready to replace the current TWTAs
• Design and assistance in space qualification
of the power stages
80W PA
SSPA assembly
40W PA
Preliminary Breadboarding of the PAs
EE Dept., Università di Roma Tor Vergata, Italy, 26th September 2014
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Conclusions
• ARES is a public/private consortium joining together the
experimental resources, the expertise and the critical mass of a
dynamic university and the system capabilities of TECS.
• ARES heritage in high-frequency enabling electronics is based on
more than 30 years experience.
• Only microwave/millimetre-wave electronic activities have been
briefly presented: the activities in EM and propagation fields are
also in the loop.
• ARES is open to collaborations, not only academic but also
industrial and applied research in general, to promote and diffuse
(as in its DNA) MTT, as demonstrated by the long-track
experience briefly recalled.
EE Dept., Università di Roma Tor Vergata, Italy, 26th September 2014
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Ernesto Limiti
ARES and Dipartimento di Ingegneria Elettronica,
Università degli Studi di Roma Tor Vergata
[email protected]
Tel: +39 06 72597351
Fax : +39 06 72597953
Mob: +39 347 2537988
EE Dept., Università di Roma Tor Vergata, Italy, 26th September 2014

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