60 GHz SoC/SoP radio system for high data-rate transmission

We present the 60 GHz CMOS and system‐on‐package (SoP) research activities in Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology for high data‐rate and short‐range wireless communication. A low‐power single‐chip resonant frequency CMOS receiver for 60 GHz mobile terminals consists of four‐stage current reuse LNA, resistive mixer, Ka‐band low‐phase noise VCO, high‐suppression frequency doubler, and two‐stage current reuse drive amplifiers. The receiver conversion gain and input P1dB are −9.5 dB and −12.5 dBm, respectively, with a size of 2.67 × 0.75 mm2 and power consumption of 21.9 mW. The integration and communication tests of a transmitter/receiver (Tx/Rx) radio have been demonstrated at a data rate of 3 Gbps for short‐range transmission and with a communication distance of over 3.5 m at 650 Mbps data rate. The design and fabrication of mmW subcircuits, such as low‐loss transmission lines and transitions with noble air cavity structures, a high‐Q resonator using zigzagged dual‐row via posts and a λ/4 short stub, and the monolithic integration of band‐pass filter and antennas, have been performed for low‐temperature cofired ceramic SoP integration with a size of 37 × 11 mm2 for the whole Tx or Rx radio. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 52: 667–673, 2010; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.25024