1. Extreme Miniaturization of Passive Electronic Devices for Millimeter Wave Applications
Wen Huang, Moyang Li, Jingchao Zhou, Paul Froeter, Julian Michaels, and Xiuling Li*
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and
Issues of Passive Components for RFICs/MMICs
On-chip Self-rolled-up Lumped Inductor
>15 turn;
>200 nm metal thickness;
Composite Cu;
Integration of soft magnetic film and core;
L>1 μH;
Q > 1nH;
1nH SRF>30GHz.
>15 turn;
>200 nm metal thickness;
Composite Cu;
Reduce ID <50 μm;
L >100nH;
Q > 1nH;
1nH SRF>20GHz.
15 GHz GaN PA
35-43 GHz GaAs PA
Current MMIC chips:
Large fraction of area is occupied by distributed passive components;
Lumped planar passive components are seldom used due to low quality at Mm-wave;
Distributed passive component dimensions are proportional to working frequency
UHF Transceiver
X band CMOS Phased-Array
Current RFIC chips:
Large fraction of area is occupied by passive electronic components;
Lumped planar spiral inductor has the largest on-chip footprint;
Large on-chip footprint leads to high fabrication cost per area and serious substrate effect.
1st iteration: Au based; Air-core; 15-turn; nH; 1.6nH (6-cell-9-turn); 1nH SRF>28GHz; 6-cell-15-turn: 280×15μm2 , 857nH/mm2 .
2nd iteration: Cu based; Air-Core; 2-turn; nH; 1nH (6-cell-2-turn); 1nH SRF>21GHz; 6-cell-2-turn: 280×61μm2 , 61nH/mm2 .
Targeted specifications based on modeling and preliminary experimental data: Composite Cu, Magnetic core + magnetic layer, >15 turn, 0.1 nH-μH, 1nH (2-cell-multiturn); 1nH SRF> 30GHz, >10μH/mm2.
Self-rolled-up Passive Electronics Platform[1-8]
S-RuM RFICs/MMICs
Back-to-Front Design Flow
Impact of S-RuM RFIC/MMIC
Strain-induced self-deformation;
Precision dimension control guided by FEM with 100% fabrication yield;
On-chip 3D multi-turn hollow microtube;
Cu or other conduction layers;
CMOS material and process compatible;
Suitable for inductor, transformer, filter, matching network, etc.
2D for 3D platform: ultrasmall, light, high inductance, high frequency, ideal coupling
Same design flow as traditional RFIC/MMIC;
Wafer-level hermetic cavity packaging possible.
¼ turn
1/2 turn
Reference:
[1] W. Huang, X. Yu, P. Froeter, R. Xu, P. Ferreira, and X. Li, "On-Chip Inductors with Self-Rolled-Up SiN x Nanomembrane Tubes: A Novel Design Platform for Extreme Miniaturization," Nano letters, vol. 12, pp , 2012.
[2] X. Yu, W. Huang, M. Li, T. M. Comberiate, S. Gong, J. E. Schutt-Aine, et al., "Ultra-Small, High-Frequency, and Substrate-Immune Microtube Inductors Transformed from 2D to 3D," Scientific reports, vol. 5, 2015.
[3] W. Huang, M. Li, S. Gong, and X. Li, "Self-rolled-up tube transformers: Extreme miniaturization and performance enhancement," in Device Research Conference (DRC), rd Annual, 2015, pp
[4] W. Huang, X. Yu, T. Comberiate, C.-W. Qiu, J. E. Schutt-Aine, and X. Li, "Miniaturized on-chip passive devices based on self-rolled-up SiN x nanomembrane inductive tube," in Device Research Conference (DRC), st Annual, 2013, pp
[5] X. Li and W. Huang, "Rolled-up transformer structure for a radiofrequency integrated circuit (RFIC)," ed: Google Patents, 2015.
[6] X. Li, W. Huang, P. M. Ferreira, and X. Yu, "Rolled-up inductor structure for a radiofrequency integrated circuit (RFIC)," ed: Google Patents, 2015.
[7] X. Li and W. Huang, "Rolled-up transmission line structure for a radiofrequency integrated circuit (RFIC)," ed: Google Patents, 2015.
[8] W. Huang, S. Koric, X. Yu, K. J. Hsia, and X. Li, "Precision Structural Engineering of Self-Rolled-up 3D Nanomembranes Guided by Transient Quasi-Static FEM Modeling," Nano Letters, vol. 14, pp , 2014/11/
3/4 turn
1 turn