High Performance Channelizers, Tunable Notch Filters, and Silicon-Based Antennas for RF to Millimeter-Wave Communication Systems

This thesis first presents a 26-channel channelizer based on the mammalian cochlea and covering the 20-90 MHz band. Each channel has a 6-pole frequency response with a constant absolute bandwidth of 1.4 MHz at 20-30 MHz, and a constant fractional bandwidth of 4.5+/-0.6% at 30-90 MHz, and is built entirely using lumped elements. Measurements show an S 11 < -12 dB at 20-90 MHz, a loss of 4-7 dB, > 40 dB isolation between the channels, and agree well with simulations. The applications areas are in communication systems with very high levels of interferes and in defense systems.;In another project, tunable lumped-element bandstop filters for the UHF-band cognitive radio systems are presented. The 2-pole filters are implemented using lumped elements with both single- and back-to-back silicon varactor diodes. The single diode filter tunes from 470 to 730 MHz with a 16-dB rejection bandwidth of 5 MHz and a filter quality factor of 52-65. The back-to-back diode filter tunes from 511 to 745 MHz also with a 16-dB rejection bandwidth of 5 MHz and a quality factor of 68-75. Both filters show a low insertion loss of 0.3-0.4 dB. Nonlinear measurements at the filter null with Deltaf = 2 MHz show that the back-to-back diode filter results in 12-dBm higher third-order intermodulation intercept point (IIP3) than the single diode filter. A scaling series capacitor is used in the resonator arm of the back-to-back diode filter and allows a power handling of 25 dBm at the 16 dB rejection null. The cascaded response of two tunable filters is also presented for multi-band rejection applications, or for a deeper rejection null (> 36 dB with 0.6 dB loss at 600 MHz). The topology can be easily extended to higher-order filters and design equations are presented.;The third project presents on-chip slot-ring and horn antennas for wafer-scale silicon systems. A high efficiency is achieved using a 100 mum quartz superstrate on top of the silicon chip, and a low loss microstrip transformer using the silicon backend metallization. A finite ground plane is also used to reduce the power coupled to the TEM mode. The slot-ring and 1- l20 horn achieve a measured gain of 0-2 dBi and 6-8 dBi at 90-96 GHz, respectively, and a radiation efficiency of ∼50%. The horns achieve a high antenna gain without occupying a large area on the silicon wafer, thus resulting in a low cost system. The designs are compatible with either single or two-antenna transceivers, or and with wafer-scale imaging systems and power-combining arrays. To our knowledge, this is the highest gain on-chip antenna developed to-date.;Finally, differential on-chip microstrip and slot-ring antennas for wafer-scale silicon systems are presented. The antennas are fed at the non-radiating edge which is compatible with differential coupled-lines, and are built on a 0.13-mum CMOS process with a layout which meets all the metal density rules. A high radiation efficiency is achieved using a 100 mum quartz superstrate placed on top of the silicon chip. Both antennas achieve a measured gain of ∼3 dBi at 91-94 GHz, with a -10 dB S11 bandwidth of 7-8 GHz and a radiation efficiency of >50%. The designs are compatible with single and multi-element transceivers, and with wafer-scale imaging systems and power-combining arrays. To our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of high-efficiency on-chip differential antennas at millimeter-wave frequencies.