A D-Band mm-wave spectroscopy TX and RX in 28 nm CMOS with 15.6 dBm EIRP and 17.1 dB NF with integrated antennas

Abstract

This paper presents a pair of CMOS D-band transmitter and receiver ICs to be used in mm-Wave spectroscopy systems. The TX consists of an on-chip VCO and divide chain for external frequency locking, a tripler, a power amplification chain and a power-combining on-chip antenna. It operates from 123 GHz to 142 GHz and has a peak EIRP of 15.6 dBm and 0.9 dBm of measured total radiated power (TRP). The heterodyne RX has an on-chip VCO and divide chain as well as an LNA, a passive mixer and a programmable IF amplifier. It operates at the same range as the TX. Its measured peak isotropic gain is 62.4 dB and isotropic noise figure is 3.1 dB at 134.7 GHz, which translate to a gain of 48.4 dB and NF of 17.1 dB when the antenna directivity is discounted. A spectroscopy system demonstration is built with the developed ICs and it is used to detect the 136.906 GHz absorption line of evaporated isopropyl alcohol.