System-on-Package MHMIC Milimeter-Wave Frequency Synthesizer for 60？GHz WPANs

We present a low-cost millimeter-wave frequency synthesizer with ultralow phase noise, implemented using system-on-package (SoP) techniques for high-data-rate wireless personal area network (WPAN) systems operating in the unlicensed 60？GHz ISM band (57–64？GHz). The phase noise specification of the proposed frequency synthesizer is derived for a worst case scenario of an 802.11.3c system, which uses a 64-QAM 512-carrier-OFDM modulation, and a data rate of 5.775？Gbps. Our design approach adopts commercial-of-the-shelf (COTS) components integrated in a low-cost alumina-based miniature hybrid microwave integrated circuit (MHMIC) package. The proposed design approach reduces not only the system cost and time-to-market, but also enhances the system performance in comparison with system-on-chip (SoC) designs. The synthesizer has measured phase noise of ？ 1 1 1 . 5 ？dBc/Hz at 1？MHz offset and integrated phase noise of 2.8° (simulated: 2.5°) measured at 57.6？GHz with output power of + 1 ？dBm. 1. Introduction The current demand for high-definition video streaming as well as the need for high-data-rate transmission in the range of multigigabit/s, attracts the use of the 60-GHz unlicensed ISM band (57–64？GHz). The main reason for the interest in the 60？GHz ISM band is attributed to the availability of 7？GHz of unlicensed bandwidth. Furthermore, the high oxygen absorption, and line-of-sight use, of the 60？GHz band makes this band well suited for frequency reuse which increases the system capacity; in addition, it minimizes harmful cochannel interferences, and increases the security of communication. Although the 60-GHz band has many advantages, the design of low-cost high-performance frequency synthesizers that meet the system requirements of low-phase noise presents a design challenge, particularly, when CMOS system-on-chip (SoC) is the technology to be used (see Table 2 for comparison). Such a challenge is due to the lossy silicon-substrate of CMOS technology. This is the main reason for using GaAs-based COTS components in our proposed design. The advantage of SoP integration is that, it enables the realization of the passive components on the same substrate of the packaging. In addition, active devices can be selected from different technologies to optimize the system performance. As an example, CMOS components can be used for high-density logic and analog circuits, SiGe and GaAs for high-speed microwave circuits, and GaN for high power. This paper will derive synthesizer phase noise specification and present design and measurements of the synthesizer. System