CMOS Beyond 100 GHz
Babak Heydari and Ali Niknejad
In this project, modeling and circuit techniques that could push the operation frequency of CMOS beyond 100 GHz are explored. Modeling techniques for various active and passive devices have been developed and verified up to 100 GHz. Based on developed models, active devices have been optimized for maximum performance resulting in record (extrapolated) Fmax of 300 GHz. Having high performance devices together with accurate models helps in designing low power mm-wave circuits. These devices have been used in the design of a 60 GHz LNA, 104 GHz amplifier, and a 104 GHz oscillator . The available gain of a device could increase significantly by employing techniques to make the device unilateral. This can result in a reduction of the front-end power dissipation. Some unilateralization techniques for three-port devices are being explored and the gain increase has been demonstrated and modeled .
Figure 1: 104 GHz CMOS amplifier in 90 nm technology
- B. Heydari, M. Bohsali, E. Adabi, and A. M. Niknejad, "Low-Power mm-Wave Components up to 104 GHz in 90 nm CMOS," ISSCC,Vol. 597, 2007, pp. 200-201.
- B. Heydari, E. Adabi, M. Bohsali, B. Afshar, M. A. Arbabian, and A. M. Niknejad, "Internal Unilateralization Technique for CMOS mm-Wave Amplifiers," RFIC Digest of Papers, 2007, pp. 463-466.