SEMICONDUCTOR INTEGRATED CIRCUITS

A 75 GHz regenerative dynamic frequency divider with active transformer using InGaAs/InP HBT technology

Xi Wang, Bichan Zhang, Hua Zhao, Yongbo Su, Asif Muhammad, Dong Guo and Zhi Jin

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 Corresponding author: Zhi Jin, Email:jinzhi@ime.ac.cn

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Abstract: This letter presents a high speed 2:1 regenerative dynamic frequency divider with an active transformer fabricated in 0.7 μm InP DHBT technology with fT of 165 GHz and fmax of 230 GHz. The circuit includes a two-stage active transformer, input buffer, divider core and output buffer. The core part of the frequency divider is composed of a double-balanced active mixer (widely known as the Gilbert cell) and a regenerative feedback loop. The active transformer with two stages can contribute to positive gain and greatly improve phase difference. Instead of the passive transformer, the active one occupies a much smaller chip area. The area of the chip is only 469×414 μm2 and it entirely consumes a total DC power of only 94.6 mW from a single -4.8 V DC supply. The measured results present that the divider achieves an operating frequency bandwidth from 75 to 80 GHz, and performs a -23 dBm maximum output power at 37.5 GHz with a 0 dBm input signal of 75 GHz.

Key words: InPhetero-junction bipolar transistorsdynamic frequency divider



[1]
Seo M, Urteaga M, Hacker J, et al. InP HBT IC technology for terahertz frequencies:fundamental oscillators up to 0.57 THz. IEEE J Solid-State Circuits, 2011, 46(1):2203 http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/iel5/4/6031177/06009206.pdf?arnumber=6009206
[2]
Urteaga M, Carter A, Griffith Z, et al. THz bandwidth InP HBT technologies and heterogeneous integration with Si CMOS. IEEE Bipolar/BiCMOS Circuits and Technology Meeting (BCTM), 2016:35 http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/7738973/
[3]
Seo M, Urteaga M, Young A, et al. A 305-330+ GHz 2:1 dynamic frequency divider using InP HBTs. IEEE Microw Wirel Co, 2010, 20(8):468 doi: 10.1109/LMWC.2010.2050871
[4]
Seo M, Hacker J, Urteaga M, et al. A 529 GHz dynamic frequency divider in 130 nm InP HBT process. IEICE Electron Express, 2015, 12(3):1 https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/elex/12/3/12_12.20141118/_article
[5]
Al-Eryani J, Knapp H, Li H, et al. A 9-81/38-189 GHz dual-band switchable dynamic frequency divider. IEEE Compound Semiconductor Integrated Circuit Symposium (CSICS), 2015:1 http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/lpdocs/epic03/wrapper.htm?arnumber=7314474
[6]
Ali U, Bober M, Thiede A, et al. 100-166 GHz wide band high speed digital dynamic frequency divider design in 0.13μm SiGe BiCMOS technology. 2015 Proceedings of the 10th European Microwave Integrated Circuits Conference, 2015:73 http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/lpdocs/epic03/wrapper.htm?arnumber=7345071
[7]
Al-Eryani J, Knapp H, Li H, et al. A 47-217 GHz dynamic frequency divider in SiGe technology. IEEE Bipolar/BiCMOS Circuits and Technology Meeting (BCTM), 2015:125 http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpls/abs_all.jsp?arnumber=7340570
[8]
Liu G, Schumacher H. Design and comparison of regenerative dynamic frequency dividers in different configurations using SiGe HBT technology. IEEE Microw Wirel Co, 2013, 23(5):270 doi: 10.1109/LMWC.2013.2253312
[9]
Derksen R, Luck V, Rein H M, et al. Stability ranges of regenerative frequency dividers employing double balanced mixers in large-signal operation. IEEE Trans Microwave Theory Tech, 1991, 39(10):1759 doi: 10.1109/22.88548
[10]
Lin C Y, Rao P Z, Lin Y K, et al. Quadrature current-reused divide-by-3 semi-dynamic frequency divider with active balun. Electron Lett, 2012, 48(1):30 doi: 10.1049/el.2011.2606
[11]
Zhang J C, Zhang Y M, Lü H L, et al. A broadband regenerative frequency divider in InGaP/GaAs HBT technology. J Semicond, 2014, 35(7):075004 doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/35/7/075004
[12]
Knapp H, Meister T, Liebl W, et al. 168 GHz dynamic frequency divider in SiGe bipolar technology. IEEE Bipolar/BiCMOS Circuits and Technology Meeting, 2009:190 http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/articleDetails.jsp?reload=true&arnumber=5314242&contentType=Conference+Publications&sortType%3Dasc_p_Sequence%26filter%3DAND%28p_IS_Number%3A5314113%29
[13]
Zhang Y T, Li X P, Zhang M, et al. A 83 GHz InP DHBT static frequency divider. J Semicond, 2014, 35(4):045004 doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/35/4/045004
[14]
Zhong Y H, Su Y B, Jin Z, et al. An InGaAs/InP W-band dynamic frequency divider. J Infrared Millim Waves, 2012, 31(5):393 doi: 10.3724/SP.J.1010.2012.00393
[15]
Su Y B, Jin Z, Cheng W, et al. An InGaAs/InP 40 GHz CML static frequency divider. J Semicond, 2011, 32(3):35008 doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/32/3/035008
[16]
Tsunashima S, Murata K, Ida M, et al. A 150-GHz dynamic frequency divider using InP/InGaAs DHBTs. IEEE 25th Annual Technical Digest Gallium Arsenide Integrated Circuit (GaAs IC) Symposium, 2003:284 http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/abstractAuthors.jsp?reload=true&arnumber=1252412
Fig. 1.  Chip photograph of the dynamic frequency divider.

Fig. 2.  Top level schematic of the dynamic divider chip.

Fig. 3.  Schematic of active transformer and input buffer.

Fig. 4.  (a) Insertion losses and (b) phase difference of the active transformer simulated at port 2 and port 3, which are related to the output port RF$+$and RF-.

Fig. 5.  Schematic of divider core using a Gilbert active mixer.

Fig. 6.  Schematic of output buffer with a 50 $\Omega $ load.

Fig. 7.  Illustration of the on-wafer test system for dynamic divider.

Fig. 8.  Measured out spectrum of the dynamic divider.

Fig. 9.  Measured input and output sensitivity of the dynamic frequency divider, the output power measurements are not corrected.

Fig. 10.  Simulated result at input frequency of (a) 38 and (b) 82 GHz.

Table 1.   Performance comparison of InP HBT frequency dividers.

[1]
Seo M, Urteaga M, Hacker J, et al. InP HBT IC technology for terahertz frequencies:fundamental oscillators up to 0.57 THz. IEEE J Solid-State Circuits, 2011, 46(1):2203 http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/iel5/4/6031177/06009206.pdf?arnumber=6009206
[2]
Urteaga M, Carter A, Griffith Z, et al. THz bandwidth InP HBT technologies and heterogeneous integration with Si CMOS. IEEE Bipolar/BiCMOS Circuits and Technology Meeting (BCTM), 2016:35 http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/7738973/
[3]
Seo M, Urteaga M, Young A, et al. A 305-330+ GHz 2:1 dynamic frequency divider using InP HBTs. IEEE Microw Wirel Co, 2010, 20(8):468 doi: 10.1109/LMWC.2010.2050871
[4]
Seo M, Hacker J, Urteaga M, et al. A 529 GHz dynamic frequency divider in 130 nm InP HBT process. IEICE Electron Express, 2015, 12(3):1 https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/elex/12/3/12_12.20141118/_article
[5]
Al-Eryani J, Knapp H, Li H, et al. A 9-81/38-189 GHz dual-band switchable dynamic frequency divider. IEEE Compound Semiconductor Integrated Circuit Symposium (CSICS), 2015:1 http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/lpdocs/epic03/wrapper.htm?arnumber=7314474
[6]
Ali U, Bober M, Thiede A, et al. 100-166 GHz wide band high speed digital dynamic frequency divider design in 0.13μm SiGe BiCMOS technology. 2015 Proceedings of the 10th European Microwave Integrated Circuits Conference, 2015:73 http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/lpdocs/epic03/wrapper.htm?arnumber=7345071
[7]
Al-Eryani J, Knapp H, Li H, et al. A 47-217 GHz dynamic frequency divider in SiGe technology. IEEE Bipolar/BiCMOS Circuits and Technology Meeting (BCTM), 2015:125 http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpls/abs_all.jsp?arnumber=7340570
[8]
Liu G, Schumacher H. Design and comparison of regenerative dynamic frequency dividers in different configurations using SiGe HBT technology. IEEE Microw Wirel Co, 2013, 23(5):270 doi: 10.1109/LMWC.2013.2253312
[9]
Derksen R, Luck V, Rein H M, et al. Stability ranges of regenerative frequency dividers employing double balanced mixers in large-signal operation. IEEE Trans Microwave Theory Tech, 1991, 39(10):1759 doi: 10.1109/22.88548
[10]
Lin C Y, Rao P Z, Lin Y K, et al. Quadrature current-reused divide-by-3 semi-dynamic frequency divider with active balun. Electron Lett, 2012, 48(1):30 doi: 10.1049/el.2011.2606
[11]
Zhang J C, Zhang Y M, Lü H L, et al. A broadband regenerative frequency divider in InGaP/GaAs HBT technology. J Semicond, 2014, 35(7):075004 doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/35/7/075004
[12]
Knapp H, Meister T, Liebl W, et al. 168 GHz dynamic frequency divider in SiGe bipolar technology. IEEE Bipolar/BiCMOS Circuits and Technology Meeting, 2009:190 http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/articleDetails.jsp?reload=true&arnumber=5314242&contentType=Conference+Publications&sortType%3Dasc_p_Sequence%26filter%3DAND%28p_IS_Number%3A5314113%29
[13]
Zhang Y T, Li X P, Zhang M, et al. A 83 GHz InP DHBT static frequency divider. J Semicond, 2014, 35(4):045004 doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/35/4/045004
[14]
Zhong Y H, Su Y B, Jin Z, et al. An InGaAs/InP W-band dynamic frequency divider. J Infrared Millim Waves, 2012, 31(5):393 doi: 10.3724/SP.J.1010.2012.00393
[15]
Su Y B, Jin Z, Cheng W, et al. An InGaAs/InP 40 GHz CML static frequency divider. J Semicond, 2011, 32(3):35008 doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/32/3/035008
[16]
Tsunashima S, Murata K, Ida M, et al. A 150-GHz dynamic frequency divider using InP/InGaAs DHBTs. IEEE 25th Annual Technical Digest Gallium Arsenide Integrated Circuit (GaAs IC) Symposium, 2003:284 http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/abstractAuthors.jsp?reload=true&arnumber=1252412
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    Received: 17 December 2016 Revised: 20 January 2017 Online: Published: 01 August 2017

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      Xi Wang, Bichan Zhang, Hua Zhao, Yongbo Su, Asif Muhammad, Dong Guo, Zhi Jin. A 75 GHz regenerative dynamic frequency divider with active transformer using InGaAs/InP HBT technology[J]. Journal of Semiconductors, 2017, 38(8): 085001. doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/38/8/085001 X Wang, B C Zhang, H Zhao, Y B Su, A Muhammad, D Guo, Z Jin. A 75 GHz regenerative dynamic frequency divider with active transformer using InGaAs/InP HBT technology[J]. J. Semicond., 2017, 38(8): 085001. doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/38/8/085001.Export: BibTex EndNote
      Citation:
      Xi Wang, Bichan Zhang, Hua Zhao, Yongbo Su, Asif Muhammad, Dong Guo, Zhi Jin. A 75 GHz regenerative dynamic frequency divider with active transformer using InGaAs/InP HBT technology[J]. Journal of Semiconductors, 2017, 38(8): 085001. doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/38/8/085001

      X Wang, B C Zhang, H Zhao, Y B Su, A Muhammad, D Guo, Z Jin. A 75 GHz regenerative dynamic frequency divider with active transformer using InGaAs/InP HBT technology[J]. J. Semicond., 2017, 38(8): 085001. doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/38/8/085001.
      Export: BibTex EndNote

      A 75 GHz regenerative dynamic frequency divider with active transformer using InGaAs/InP HBT technology

      doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/38/8/085001
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      • Corresponding author: Zhi Jin, Email:jinzhi@ime.ac.cn
      • Received Date: 2016-12-17
      • Revised Date: 2017-01-20
      • Published Date: 2017-08-01

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