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; Zhi Jin

doi:10.1088/1674-4926/38/8/085001

J. Semicond. > 2017, Volume 38?>?Issue 8?> 085001

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

+ Author Affiliations

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

DOI: 10.1088/1674-4926/38/8/085001

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 f_T of 165 GHz and f_max 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: InP, hetero-junction bipolar transistors, dynamic frequency divider

References

[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.

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

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

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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-.

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

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

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

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

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

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

DownLoad: Full-Size Img PowerPoint

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

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 f_T of 165 GHz and f_max 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.

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

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