Low complexity 60-GHz receiver architecture for simultaneous phase and amplitude regenerative sampling systems

With increasing data rates in communication systems, the call for wideband transceiver solutions capable of processing complex modulation schemes is getting stronger. Unfortunately, this goes along with power hungry systems and more complex integrated circuits. A novel receiver architecture, which addresses these issues, is based on the simultaneous phase and amplitude regenerative sampling system. Its system exploits switched injection-locked oscillators and their capability to regenerate signals with a gain of over 40 dB. This paper demonstrates an integrated solution for phase demodulation in such an architecture. The proposed concept uses the low complex but efficient self-mixing principle and consists mainly of double-balanced Gilbert mixers, amplifiers, a delay line and passive power dividers. The detection of the phase is achieved through self-mixing the regenerated signal with one path delayed by a symbol period. The architecture achieves 2 GBaud/s with 8th order differential phase shift keying at a frequency of 60 GHz and is realized in a 130nm SiGe BiCMOS technology.