Two mm-wave vector modulator active phase shifters with novel IQ generator in 28 nm FDSOI CMOS

Abstract

This paper presents two 4-bit (16-phase) mm-wave vector modulator phase shifters exploiting a novel in-phase and quadrature signal generator that consists of a single-input double-output cascode amplifier incorporating a lumped-element coupled-line quadrature coupler. The two circuit implementations have been designed and fabricated in a 28 nm fully depleted silicon-on-insulator CMOS. The first (PS1) achieves a higher gain and the second (PS2) has a more compact area (reduced to about 50%). Each consumes 18 mA from a 1.2 V supply. PS1 exhibits an average gain of 2.3 dB at 87.4 GHz and B 3dB from 78.8 to 92.8 GHz; rms gain error of 1.68 dB at 87.4 GHz and <;2 dB in the B 3dB ; rms phase error of 9.4° at 87.4 GHz and <;11.9° in B 3dB ; S 11 <; -10.5 dB in B 3dB ; average P 1dB of -7 dBm; and average noise figure (NF) equal to 10.8 dB at 87 GHz. PS2 exhibits an average gain of 0.83 dB at 89.2 GHz and B 3dB from 80.2 to 96.8 GHz; rms gain error of 1.46 dB at 89.2 GHz and <;2 dB in B 3dB ; rms phase error of 11.2° at 89.2 GHz and <;11.9° in B 3dB ; S 11 <; -11.5 dB in B 3dB ; average P 1dB of -6 dBm; and average NF of 11.9 dB at 89 GHz.