Radio Frequency IDentification (RFID) system architecture has been advanced for more than half a century, hence their applications with recent developments are numerous. The growing demand for modern wireless communication systems leads to an extra complexity in the system design. However, several specific requirements such as long-range and broadband wireless data communication, lower power consumption, low cost and mechanical flexibility of device are difficult to meet in their combination due to the technological constraints. Among these criteria, the mechanically flexible device is the most demanding requirement due to its sophisticated thinning process. In addition, it brings another constraint, such as stringent cooling requirement, to design and causes performance degradation.
A 3-path 5-6 GHz 0.25 μm SiGe BiCMOS differential power amplifier and low noise amplifier
In a joint work with IHF and INES from the University of Stuttgart, the tasks of the applicant INT during the first phase of the FFlexCom project were related to the development of a broadband power amplifier and a low noise amplifier on the thin substrate. A 3-path 5-6 GHz 0.25 μm SiGe BiCMOS differential power amplifier and low noise amplifier has been designed and fabricated. Both amplifiers utilize a thin Si chip in order to be embedded into flexible electronic foil systems. Several key RF performance parameters of the amplifiers with different substrate thicknesses are evaluated at the wafer and system levels.
A 5.5 GHz phase-mux-based Offset Quadrature Phase Shift Keying (O-QPSK) transmitter
In this work, a 5.5 GHz phase-mux-based Offset Quadrature Phase Shift Keying (O-QPSK) transmitter for image applications with digital video interfaces up to 16-bit (at a total data rate of ~ 171.8 Mbps). O-QPSK transmitter structure is implemented to reduce the number of RF building blocks and consequently the power consumption. Thus, it allows the system to be used in mobile biomedical applications as well.
The O-QPSK modulation signal is generated by using an IQ divider by two. One of the four quadrature phases is then selected according to the 2-bit baseband data via the 4x1 NAND-MUX. In combination with a class-D-1 power amplifier (PA), a fully integrated O-QPSK transmitter is realized. By limiting the phase shift to no more than 90° at a time, lower amplitude fluctuations occur, thus the linearity requirement of the PA is relaxed. The whole chip, including the on-chip transformer, occupies 2.4 mm x 1.3 mm and is developed using ST 130 nm BiCMOS9MW.
Publications
2023
- S. Fischer-Kennedy, S. Özbek, S. Wang, M. Grözing, J. Hesselbarth, M. Berroth, and J. N. Burghartz, “Adaptive triple-fed antenna and thinned RF-chip integration into ultra thin flexible polymer foil,” International Journal of Microwave and Wireless Technologies, pp. 1--8, 2023.
2022
- S. Özbek, S. Wang, S. B. Fischer, M. Grözing, J. N. Burghartz, J. Hesselbarth, and M. Berroth, “Integrating Ultra-Thin SiGe BiCMOS Power Amplifier Chip in Combination with Flexible Antenna in the Polymer Foil,” in IEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Systems (ISCAS), 2022, p. paper ID 1460.
2019
- G. Alavi, S. Özbek, M. Rasteh, M. Grözing, M. Berroth, J. Hesselbarth, and J. Burghartz, “Towards a Flexible and Adaptive Wireless Hub by Embedding Power Amplifier Thinned Silicon Chip and Antenna in a Polymer Foil,” International Journal of Microwave and Wireless Technologies, pp. 1--8, 2019.
2018
- G. Alavi, S. Özbek, M. Rasteh, M. Grözing, M. Berroth, J. Hesselbarth, and J. Burghartz, “Embedding and Interconnecting of Ultra-Thin RF Chip in Combination with Flexible Wireless Hub in Polymer Foil,” in Electronic System-Integration Technology Conference (ESTC), Dresden, Germany, 2018, pp. 1--5.
- S. Özbek, M. Grözing, G. Alavi, J. Burghartz, and M. Berroth, “Three-Path SiGe BiCMOS LNA on Thinned Silicon Substrate for IoT Applications,” in European Microwave Integrated Circuits Conference (EuMiC), Madrid, Spain, 2018, pp. 273--276.
2017
- T. Meister et al., “Program FFlexCom --- High frequency flexible bendable electronics for wireless communication systems,” in IEEE International Conference on Microwaves, Communications, Antennas and Electronic Systems (COMCAS), Tel-Aviv, Israel, 2017, pp. 1--6.
- H. Richter, J. Burghartz, M. Berroth, N. Frühauf, C. Harendt, J. Hesselbarth, G. Hübner, H. Kück, H. Klauk, J. Kostelnik, R. Rupp, and S. Saller, “Smart Skin for Robotics -- an example of a Complex System-In-Foil,” in International Exhibition and Conference for the Printed Electronics Industry (LOPEC), Munich, Germany, 2017.
Additional Information
- DFG project
Flexible image sensor with adaptive high-speed wireless connectivity - DFG Priority Programme: SPP 1796
High Frequency Flexible Bendable Electronics for Wireless Communication Systems (FFLexCom) - Priority Programme
“High Frequency Flexible Bendable Electronics for Wireless Communication Systems (FFLexCom)” (SPP 1796) - Project FFlexCom
Kontakt
Sefa Özbek
M. Sc.Research staff member