SiGe BiCMOS Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuit Design

Lecture: Dr.-Ing. Sébastien Chartier
Exercise: M.Sc. Athanasios Gatzastras

M.Sc. Electrical Engineering University of Stuttgart
M.Sc.INFOTECH (Information Technology) University of Stuttgart

This lecture provides an in-depth description of the most fundamental circuit architectures suited for silicon-based analog front-end circuit design, especially using SiGe HBT and BiCMOS technologies in modern radar applications including automotive radar. After an introduction to modern silicon-based technologies, describing typical front-end of line and back-end of line, an overview of radar applications and radar system architectures will be presented. A detailed description of silicon-based front-end components used in modern microwave and millimeter-wave front-end for e.g. FMCW radar applications will then follow. Finally, the last chapter will cover various items such as assembly, packaging and testing. This lecture is intended to be a follow-up to the lecture Microwave Analog Frontend Design part 1 in the summer term, which focuses on the theory of frequency-converting circuits and their implementation in compound semiconductor technologies.  The lecturer reserves the right to alter the contents of the course without prior notification.

Part 1: Silicon-based semiconductor technologies
1. SiGe HBT / Si CMOS / SiGe BiCMOS technologies
2. Passive components (Back-end of Line)
3. Modeling
4. CAD Tools 

Part 2: Radar systems and applications
1. Radar applications
2. Brief overview of RF system architecture
3. Radar system architectures with strong focus on FMCW
4. Radar implementation using semiconductor topologies 

Part 3: SiGe HBT amplifier design
1. Narrow- and broadband amplifier circuit topologies
2. Low-Noise amplifier design
3. Power amplifier circuit architecture
4. Variage gain amplifier topologies   

Part 4: SiGe HBT Oscillators / Phased-locked loop / Synthesizers
1. PLL principle
2. Oscillator topologies
3. Frequency divider
4. Phase detector 

Part 5: Bipolar based Mixers
1. Bipolar switching principle (ECL)
2. Gilbert cell multiplier
3. Gilbert cell mixer

Part 6: Other front-end elements
1. RF switches
2. Phase shifters
3. Attenuators
4. Power detectors
5. Filters 

Part 7: Assembly, packaging and testing
1. Assembly techniques (chip&wire, SMD, wafer-level, …)
2. Packaging technologies (QFN, LCP)
3. Attenuators
4. Power detectors