A 12.4–32 GHz CMOS Down-Conversion Mixer for 28 GHz 5G New Radio (NR)
We report a low voltage (V<sub>DD</sub>) and power (P<sub>DC</sub>) 12.4–32 GHz CMOS down-conversion mixer with high conversion gain (CG) for 28 GHz 5G communications. A quarter-wavelength (λ/4) transmission line (TL) and a coupling capacitor (C<sub>c</sub>), name...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-02-01
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| Series: | Applied Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/4/2305 |
| _version_ | 1797622541056999424 |
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| author | Yo-Sheng Lin Kai-Siang Lan |
| author_facet | Yo-Sheng Lin Kai-Siang Lan |
| author_sort | Yo-Sheng Lin |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | We report a low voltage (V<sub>DD</sub>) and power (P<sub>DC</sub>) 12.4–32 GHz CMOS down-conversion mixer with high conversion gain (CG) for 28 GHz 5G communications. A quarter-wavelength (λ/4) transmission line (TL) and a coupling capacitor (C<sub>c</sub>), named the λ/4-TL-C-based coupler, is proposed. This is the way to attain low-V<sub>DD</sub>, independent RF transconductance (gm)-stage bias, harmonic suppression, and near perfect coupling from the RF gm stage to the LO switch transistors. The body-self-forward-bias (BSFB) technique, i.e., connection of the gm-stage transistors’ body to drain via a large body resistance, is used for threshold voltage (V<sub>th</sub>) and V<sub>DD</sub> reduction and substrate leakage suppression. CG and noise figure (NF) enhancement at the same or even a lower P<sub>DC</sub> is achieved because lower V<sub>DD</sub> and higher gm (due to larger bias current) are used. To facilitate the RF measurement, a compact Wilkinson-power-divider-based balun with small-phase deviation and amplitude imbalance is included at RF and LO inputs. The mixer consumes 6.5 mW and achieves a CG of 14.4 ± 1.5 dB for 12.4–32 GHz (i.e., 3 dB bandwidth (f<sub>3dB</sub>) of 19.6 GHz), a lowest noise figure (NF<sub>min</sub>) of 7 dB, and figure-of-merit (FOM) of 0.023, which is one of the best results ever reported for millimeter-wave (mm-wave) down-conversion mixers with an f<sub>3dB</sub> larger than 10 GHz and P<sub>DC</sub> lower than 10 mW. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T09:12:45Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2c8b63046bbb4adfa012419e958084e2 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-3417 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T09:12:45Z |
| publishDate | 2023-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Applied Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-2c8b63046bbb4adfa012419e958084e22023-11-16T18:53:49ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172023-02-01134230510.3390/app13042305A 12.4–32 GHz CMOS Down-Conversion Mixer for 28 GHz 5G New Radio (NR)Yo-Sheng Lin0Kai-Siang Lan1Department of Electrical Engineering, National Chi Nan University, Puli 54561, TaiwanDepartment of Electrical Engineering, National Chi Nan University, Puli 54561, TaiwanWe report a low voltage (V<sub>DD</sub>) and power (P<sub>DC</sub>) 12.4–32 GHz CMOS down-conversion mixer with high conversion gain (CG) for 28 GHz 5G communications. A quarter-wavelength (λ/4) transmission line (TL) and a coupling capacitor (C<sub>c</sub>), named the λ/4-TL-C-based coupler, is proposed. This is the way to attain low-V<sub>DD</sub>, independent RF transconductance (gm)-stage bias, harmonic suppression, and near perfect coupling from the RF gm stage to the LO switch transistors. The body-self-forward-bias (BSFB) technique, i.e., connection of the gm-stage transistors’ body to drain via a large body resistance, is used for threshold voltage (V<sub>th</sub>) and V<sub>DD</sub> reduction and substrate leakage suppression. CG and noise figure (NF) enhancement at the same or even a lower P<sub>DC</sub> is achieved because lower V<sub>DD</sub> and higher gm (due to larger bias current) are used. To facilitate the RF measurement, a compact Wilkinson-power-divider-based balun with small-phase deviation and amplitude imbalance is included at RF and LO inputs. The mixer consumes 6.5 mW and achieves a CG of 14.4 ± 1.5 dB for 12.4–32 GHz (i.e., 3 dB bandwidth (f<sub>3dB</sub>) of 19.6 GHz), a lowest noise figure (NF<sub>min</sub>) of 7 dB, and figure-of-merit (FOM) of 0.023, which is one of the best results ever reported for millimeter-wave (mm-wave) down-conversion mixers with an f<sub>3dB</sub> larger than 10 GHz and P<sub>DC</sub> lower than 10 mW.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/4/2305CMOSlow voltagelow powertransmission linecouplerdown-conversion mixer |
| spellingShingle | Yo-Sheng Lin Kai-Siang Lan A 12.4–32 GHz CMOS Down-Conversion Mixer for 28 GHz 5G New Radio (NR) Applied Sciences CMOS low voltage low power transmission line coupler down-conversion mixer |
| title | A 12.4–32 GHz CMOS Down-Conversion Mixer for 28 GHz 5G New Radio (NR) |
| title_full | A 12.4–32 GHz CMOS Down-Conversion Mixer for 28 GHz 5G New Radio (NR) |
| title_fullStr | A 12.4–32 GHz CMOS Down-Conversion Mixer for 28 GHz 5G New Radio (NR) |
| title_full_unstemmed | A 12.4–32 GHz CMOS Down-Conversion Mixer for 28 GHz 5G New Radio (NR) |
| title_short | A 12.4–32 GHz CMOS Down-Conversion Mixer for 28 GHz 5G New Radio (NR) |
| title_sort | 12 4 32 ghz cmos down conversion mixer for 28 ghz 5g new radio nr |
| topic | CMOS low voltage low power transmission line coupler down-conversion mixer |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/4/2305 |
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