A 140-GHz 35.2-dBm Multifeed Power-Combining Transmitarray Integrated With CMOS Transmitter for 48-Gb/s Communications

Abstract

This communication introduces a highly integrated, high-power multifeed power-combining transmitarray integrated with complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) transmitter. The proposed design employs active feeds fabricated utilizing 40-nm CMOS technology. A passive transmitarray is designed based on cost-effective printed circuit board (PCB) technology. In the active feed section, high-power direct up-conversion active transmitter circuits are utilized alongside higher-order mode dielectric resonator (DR) antennas to significantly enhance the effective isotropic radiated power (EIRP) while facilitating communication functions. The passive transmitarray section incorporates a novel concept of power-combining transmitarray, overcoming the conventional limitations of two-way power combining and feed spacing being less than half the wavelength. This technique enables watt-level output while maintaining the low cost and high integration. The measured maximum EIRP reaches 35.2 dBm at 140 GHz, marking a 25.4 dB increase over a single active feed. Consequently, this active antenna achieves a data transmission rate of 48 Gb/s.