A 26 GHz UWB CMOS IR-UWB transmitter with on-chip balun

Abstract

A 22-29 GHz UWB pulse transmitter in 90 nm bulk CMOS is presented. The transmitter is based on mixing of a continuous running LC-tank 26 GHz signal with a pseudo Gaussian base-band pulse. To maximize pulse peak to peak voltage a single balanced Gilbert cell mixer is loaded with a lumped balun. The measured results show a pulse with a -10 dB bandwidth of 5 GHz and a Vp-p of 219 mV within the 22-29 GHz band.