An Efficient CMOS On-Chip Antenna Structure for System in Package Transceiver Applications

Abstract This paper presents the results of a study on improving the performance parameters such as the impedance bandwidth, radiation gain and efficiency, as well as suppressing substrate loss of an innovative antenna for on-chip implementation for millimetre-wave and terahertz integrated-circuits. This was achieved by using the metamaterial and the substrate-integrated waveguide (SIW) technologies. The on-chip antenna structure comprises five alternating layers of metallization and silicon. An array of circular radiation patches with metamaterial-inspired crossed-shaped slots are etched on the top metallization layer below which is a silicon layer whose bottom surface is metalized to create a ground plane. Implemented in the silicon layer below is a cavity above which is no ground plane. Underneath this silicon layer is where an open-ended microstrip feedline is located which is used to excite the antenna. The feed mechanism is based on the coupling of the electromagnetic energy from the bottom silicon layer to the top circular patches through the cavity. To suppress surface waves and reduce substrate loss, the SIW concept is applied at the top silicon layer by implementing the metallic via holes at the periphery of the structure that connect the top layer to the ground plane. The proposed on-chip antenna has an average measured radiation gain and efficiency of 6.9 dBi and 53%, respectively, over its operational frequency range from 0.285–0.325 THz. The proposed on-chip antenna has dimensions of 1.35 × 1 × 0.06 mm3. The antenna is shown to be viable for applications in millimetre-waves and terahertz integrated-circuits.

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Compact and Low-Profile On-Chip Antenna Using Underside Electromagnetic Coupling Mechanism for Terahertz Front-End Transceivers

Electronics ◽

10.3390/electronics10111264 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (11) ◽

pp. 1264

Author(s):

Mohammad Alibakhshikenari ◽

Bal S. Virdee ◽

Ayman A. Althuwayb ◽

Dion Mariyanayagam ◽

Ernesto Limiti

Keyword(s):

Integrated Circuits ◽

Electromagnetic Coupling ◽

Impedance Match ◽

Coupling Mechanism ◽

Antenna Structure ◽

Front End ◽

Low Profile ◽

Radiation Properties ◽

On Chip Antenna ◽

On Chip

The results presented in this paper show that by employing a combination of metasurface and substrate integrated waveguide (SIW) technologies, we can realize a compact and low-profile antenna that overcomes the drawbacks of narrow-bandwidth and low-radiation properties encountered by terahertz antennas on-chip (AoC). In addition, an effective RF cross-shaped feed structure is used to excite the antenna from its underside by coupling, electromagnetically, RF energy through the multi-layered antenna structure. The feed mechanism facilitates integration with the integrated circuits. The proposed antenna is constructed from five stacked layers, comprising metal–silicon–metal–silicon–metal. The dimensions of the AoC are 1 × 1 × 0.265 mm3. The AoC is shown to have an impedance match, radiation gain and efficiency of ≤ −15 dB, 8.5 dBi and 67.5%, respectively, over a frequency range of 0.20–0.22 THz. The results show that the proposed AoC design is viable for terahertz front-end applications.

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Multiband Dual-Meander Line Antenna for Body-Centric Networks’ Biomedical Applications by Using UMC 180 nm

Electronics ◽

10.3390/electronics9091350 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 (9) ◽

pp. 1350

Author(s):

Heba Shawkey ◽

Dalia Elsheakh

Keyword(s):

Biomedical Applications ◽

Impedance Bandwidth ◽

Antenna Structure ◽

High Data ◽

High Frequency Structure Simulator ◽

On Chip Antenna ◽

Integration Effect ◽

Operating Bandwidth ◽

On Chip ◽

Meander Line

A new, compact, on-chip antenna architecture for 5G body-centric networks’ (BCNs) applications is presented in this paper. The integrated antenna combines two turns of dual-meander lines (DML) on two stacked layers and a metal ground layer. The proposed DML antenna structure operated at resonant bands 22 GHz, 34 GHz, 44 GHz, and 58 GHz with an operating bandwidth up to 2 GHz at impedance bandwidth ≤−7.5 dB (VSWR—Voltage Standing Wave Ratio ≤ 2.5) and antenna gain about −20 dBi, −15 dBi, −10 dBi, and −1 dBi, respectively. Then it was compared with conventional single-meander line antenna. The proposed structure decreased the resonant frequency by 22%, increased number of tuning bands, and broadened the operating bandwidth by 25%, 15%, 10%, and 20% for the tuning bands to be a suitable choice for high-data -ate biomedical applications. Furthermore, the proposed antenna was simulated and studied for its performance on and inside the human body to test the integration effect in wearable equipment. The results showed that the antenna had acceptable performance in both locations. All simulations of the proposed antenna were done were done by using Ansys HFSS (high-frequency structure simulator) v.15 (Ansys, Canonsburg, PA, USA). The DML (Digital Microwave Links) antenna was fabricated by using UMC (United Microelectronics Corporation) 180 nm CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxidesemi–Conductor) technology with a total area of 1150 µm × 200 µm and the results showed a good agreement between measured and simulated results.

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A miniaturized CPW-fed on-chip UWB monopole antenna with band-notch characteristics

International Journal of Microwave and Wireless Technologies ◽

10.1017/s1759078719000941 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

pp. 95-102

Author(s):

S. Mandal ◽

A. Karmakar ◽

H. Singh ◽

S. K. Mandal ◽

R. Mahapatra ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Satellite Communication ◽

Coplanar Waveguide ◽

Measured Data ◽

Ultra Wideband ◽

Center Frequency ◽

Frequency Range ◽

Antenna Structure ◽

On Chip Antenna ◽

Layout Area ◽

On Chip

AbstractThis paper presents the design and analysis of a miniaturized, coplanar waveguide-fed ultra-wideband monopole on-chip antenna with band-notch characteristics. By incorporating a “U”-shaped slot in the feedline, a band-notch is realized in the frequency range of 7.9–8.4 GHz to avoid interference from the X-band uplink satellite communication system. The proposed antenna achieved good voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) characteristics with VSWR value <2 for the frequency range of 2.5–20.1 GHz excluding the band-notched frequencies. The fractional bandwidth and bandwidth ratio are obtained as 156% and 8.04:1, respectively. Dominant factors that affect the center frequency and bandwidth of the notched band are thoroughly investigated. This paper addresses both frequency as well as time domain behavior of the proposed structure. Standard 675 µm thick, high resistive silicon substrate (ρ≥8 kΩ-cm, εr = 11.8, and tan δ = 0.01) is used to design the proposed compact antenna structure with a layout area of 8.5 × 11.5 mm2. Fabrication process steps along with simulated and measured data are presented here. A close analogy between simulated and measured data is observed.

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On-Chip Antenna Design Using the Concepts of Metamaterial and SIW Principles Applicable to Terahertz Integrated Circuits Operating over 0.6–0.622 THz

International Journal of Antennas and Propagation ◽

10.1155/2020/6653095 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 2020 ◽

pp. 1-9

Author(s):

Ayman A. Althuwayb

Keyword(s):

Integrated Circuits ◽

Frequency Band ◽

Ground Plane ◽

Research Work ◽

Electromagnetic Signal ◽

Antenna Structure ◽

Feed Line ◽

On Chip Antenna ◽

Via Holes ◽

On Chip

This research work presents the investigation of realizing an on-chip antenna based on the metamaterial concept, which is working over the terahertz (THz) band for applications in integrated circuits. The proposed on-chip antenna is constructed of five stacked layers of polyimide and aluminum as top and bottom substrates, radiation patches, ground plane, and feed line. The four square-shaped radiation patches are implemented on the 50 μ m top-polyimide substrate, and the feed line is realized on the 50 μ m bottom-polyimide layer by designing the simple square microstrip lines, which are all connected to each other and then excited by waveguide port. The ground plane including a coupling square slot has sandwiched between the top- and bottom-polyimide layers. The coupling square slot etched on the ground plane is exactly placed under the patch to optimum transfer the electromagnetic signal from the bottom feed line to the top radiation patch. To achieve high performance parameters without increasing the antenna's physical dimensions, the metamaterial and substrate integrated waveguide properties have been applied to the antenna structure by implementing linear tapered slots on the patch top surfaces and metallic via holes throughout the middle ground plane connecting top and bottom substrates to each other. The slots play the role of series left-handed (LH) capacitors (CL) and the via holes act as shunt LH inductors (LL). The overall dimension of the proposed metamaterial-based on-chip antenna is 1000 × 1000 × 100 μm3. This antenna can cover the frequency band from 0.6 THz to 0.622 THz, which is equal to 20 GHz bandwidth. The radiation gain and efficiency across the operating frequency band varies from 1.1 dBi to 1.8 dBi, and from 58% to 60.5%, respectively. The results confirm that the proposed on-chip antenna with compact dimensions, wide bandwidth over the terahertz domain, low profile, cost effective, simple configuration, and easy to manufacture can be potentially appropriate for terahertz integrated circuits.

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