Research Towards Terahertz Power Amplifiers in Silicon-Based Process

doi:10.12142/ZTECOM.202302012

ZTE Communications ›› 2023, Vol. 21 ›› Issue (2): 88-94.DOI: 10.12142/ZTECOM.202302012

• Review • Previous Articles

Research Towards Terahertz Power Amplifiers in Silicon-Based Process

CHEN Jixin¹, ZHOU Peigen¹(), YU Jiayang¹, LI Zekun¹, LI Huanbo¹, PENG Lin²

^1.Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
^2.ZTE Corporation, Shenzhen 518057, China

Received:2023-01-30 Online:2023-06-13 Published:2023-06-13
About author:CHEN Jixin received his BS degree in radio engineering from Southeast University, China in 1998, and MS and PhD degrees from Southeast University in 2002 and 2006, respectively, all in electromagnetic field and microwave techniques. Since 1998, he has been with the Sate Key Laboratory of Millimeter Waves, Southeast University, and is currently a professor of School of Information Science and Engineering. His current research interests include microwave and millimeter-wave circuit design and MMIC design. He has authored and co-authored more than 100 papers and presented invited papers at ICMMT2016, IMWS2012, and GSMM2011. He is the winner of 2016 Keysight Early Career Professor Award. He has served as the TPC Co-chair of HSIC2012, UCMMT2012, LOC Co-chair of APMC2015, Session Co-chair of iWAT2011, ISSSE2010, and APMC2007, and a reviewer for IEEE MTT and IEEE MWCL.|ZHOU Peigen (pgzhouseu@seu.edu.cn) received his BS degree in radio engineering in 2015 and PhD degree in electromagnetic field and microwave techniques in 2020, both from Southeast University, China. Since 2021, he has been with the State Key Laboratory of Millimeter Waves, Southeast University, and is currently an assistant researcher of the School of Information Science and Engineering. His research interests include silicon-based millimeter-wave/THz on-chip wireless communication/radar phased-array transceivers.|YU Jiayang is currently working toward his PhD degree in the School of Information Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Millimeter Waves, Southeast University, China. His current research interests include millimeter-wave/terahertz integrated circuits for radar and high speed communication.|LI Zekun received his BS degree from the School of Information Science and Engineering, Southeast University, China in 2018, where he is currently pursuing his PhD degree. His current research focuses on silicon-based millimeter-wave and terahertz integrated circuits and systems for high-speed wireless communication and radar.|LI Huanbo received his BS degree from the School of Information Science and Engineering and PhD degree in electromagnetic field and microwave techniques from Southeast University, China in 2016 and 2021, respectively. His current research focuses on silicon based mm-wave and terahertz integrated circuits and systems for high-speed wireless communication and radar imaging.|PENG Lin received his BS degree in information engineering and MS degree in electromagnetic field and microwave techniques from Nanjing University of Science and Technology, China in 2004 and 2006, respectively. Since 2006, he has been with ZTE Corporation, where he is mainly engaged in wireless communications. His current research interests include beyond-5G and 6G technologies, millimeter-wave and terahertz communication, and intelligent reflecting surface for wireless applications.
Supported by:
the National Natural Science Foundation of China(62101117);ZTE Industry-University-Institute Cooperation Funds, and in part by the Project funded by China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(2021M700763)

Abstract

Abstract:

In view of the existing design challenges for Terahertz (THz) power amplifiers (PAs), the common design methods and the efforts of the State Key Laboratory of Millimeter Wave, Southeast University, China in the development of silicon-based THz PAs, mainly including silicon-based PAs with operating frequencies covering 100–300 GHz, are summarized in this paper. Particularly, we design an LC-balun-based two-stage differential cascode PA with a center frequency of 150 GHz and an output power of 14 dBm. Based on a Marchand balun, we report a 220 GHz three-stage differential cascode PA with a saturated output power of 9.5 dBm. To further increase the output power of THz PA, based on a four-way differential power combining technique, we report a 211–263 GHz dual-LC-tank-based broadband PA with a recorded 14.7 dBm Psat and 16.4 dB peak gain. All the above circuits are designed in a standard 130 nm silicon germanium (SiGe) BiCMOS process.

Key words: power amplifier, power combining, SiGe, silicon-based, Terahertz

CHEN Jixin, ZHOU Peigen, YU Jiayang, LI Zekun, LI Huanbo, PENG Lin. Research Towards Terahertz Power Amplifiers in Silicon-Based Process[J]. ZTE Communications, 2023, 21(2): 88-94.

Figures/Tables 11

Figure 1 Block diagram of a typical Terahertz (THz) transmitter

Figure 2 Research status of Terahertz (THz) power amplifiers (PAs) based on bulk CMOS and SiGe process[3]

Figure 3 Schematic of the 150 GHz PA[6]

Figure 4 Die photo of the 150 GHz power amplifier (PA)

Figure 5 Simulated and measured results of the 150 GHz power amplifier (PA)[6]

Figure 6 Schematic of the 220 GHz power amplifier (PA)[7]

Figure 7 Die photo of the 220 GHz power amplifier (PA)[7]

Figure 8 Simulated and measured results of the 220 GHz power amplifier (PA)[7]

Figure 9 Schematic of the 240 GHz four-way power combining PA[8]

Figure 10 Die photo of the 240 GHz four-way power combining PA[8]

Figure 11 Die photo of the 240 GHz four-way power combining PA[8]

References 22

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Research Towards Terahertz Power Amplifiers in Silicon-Based Process

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