Broadband Reconfigurable Transceivers in SiGe

Abstract

The focus of this paper is on our work with Broadband Reconfigurable Transceivers, mostly using SiGe processes. In general, it is difficult to design a system that can meet all needs. In some system dynamic range is critical, over certain bandwidths and frequency ranges. In others, the dynamic range may be less important, but the instantaneous bandwidth is more important. N-Path filters can provide a flexible, SWAP friendly, approach to reconfigurability in transceivers. One such custom IC is the MATRICs™ Adaptive Transceiver. The MATRICs™ V4 Adaptive Transceiver is a DC-to-40 GHz general purpose reconfigurable array of RF circuits embedded in a flexible switch fabric. Fabricated in Tower Semiconductor SBC13S4B SiGe-on-SOI BiCMOS process, the MATRICs™ Adaptive Transceiver employs SiGe HBTs for high-linearity (> + 10dBm IIP3) amplification and low phase-noise frequency generation, SOI FETs for low-loss switching, and achieves high on-chip RF isolation (>80 dB at 16 GHz) due to the high-resistivity SOI substrate, differential signalling, and chip-scale flip-chip bump packaging.