Automatic synthesis of analog layout : a survey

A review of recent research in the automatic synthesis of physical geometry for analog integrated circuits is presented. On introduction, an explanation of the difficulties involved in analog layout as opposed to digital layout is covered. Review of the literature then follows. Emphasis is placed on the exposition of general methods for addressing problems specific to analog layout, with the details of specific systems only being given when they surve to illustrate these methods well. The conclusion discusses problems remaining and offers a prediction as to how technology will evolve to solve them. It is argued that although progress has been and will continue to be made in the automation of analog IC layout, due to fundamental differences in the nature of analog IC design as opposed to digital design, it should not be expected that the level of automation of the former will reach that of the latter any time soon

A Scalable 6-to-18 GHz Concurrent Dual-Band Quad-Beam Phased-Array Receiver in CMOS

This paper reports a 6-to-18 GHz integrated phased- array receiver implemented in 130-nm CMOS. The receiver is easily scalable to build a very large-scale phased-array system. It concurrently forms four independent beams at two different frequencies from 6 to 18 GHz. The nominal conversion gain of the receiver ranges from 16 to 24 dB over the entire band while the worst-case cross-band and cross-polarization rejections are achieved 48 dB and 63 dB, respectively. Phase shifting is performed in the LO path by a digital phase rotator with the worst-case RMS phase error and amplitude variation of 0.5° and 0.4 dB, respectively, over the entire band. A four-element phased-array receiver system is implemented based on four receiver chips. The measured array patterns agree well with the theoretical ones with a peak-to-null ratio of over 21.5 dB

An ohmic RF MEMS switch for reconfigurable microstrip array antennas built on PCB

This paper presents the analysis, design and simulation of an ohmic RF MEMS switch specified for reconfigurable microstrip array antennas built on PCB via an integrated monolithic technology. The proposed switch will be used to allow antenna beamforming in the operating frequency range between 2.4GHz and 4GHz. This application requires a great number of these switches to be integrated with an array of microstrip patch elements. The proposed switch exhibits outstanding switching characteristics, following a relatively simple design, which ensures reliability, robustness and high fabrication yield

Analog-to-digital conversion techniques for precision photometry

Three types of analog-to-digital converters are described: parallel, successive-approximation, and integrating. The functioning of comparators and sample-and-hold amplifiers is explained. Differential and integral linearity are defined, and good and bad examples are illustrated. The applicability and relative advantages of the three types of converters for precision astronomical photometric measurements are discussed. For most measurements, integral linearity is more important than differential linearity. Successive-approximation converters should be used with multielement solid state detectors because of their high speed, but dual slope integrating converters may be superior for use with single element solid state detectors where speed of digitization is not a factor. In all cases, the input signal should be tailored so that they occupy the upper part of the converter's dynamic range; this can be achieved by providing adjustable gain, or better by varying the integration time of the observation if possible

An N-bit digitally variable ultra wideband pulse generator for GPR and UWB applications

This paper presents a low-cost Ultra Wideband (UWB) pulse generator that can vary the pulse duration digitally by using a Step Recovery Diode (SRD), microstrip transmission lines and PIN diodes. First, a sharp edge is generated by using a SRD circuitry. Then a pulse is formed from the sharp edge through the use of transmission lines and the PIN diodes. Based on the number of transmission lines (N), the duration of the pulse can be varied in steps. The UWB pulse generator circuits are implemented on an FR-4 substrate using microstrip line technology and UWB pulses with durations of 550 to 2400 psec are measured. N2 Ke

Analogue to Digital and Digital to Analogue Converters (ADCs and DACs): A Review Update

This is a review paper updated from that presented for CAS 2004. Essentially, since then, commercial components have continued to extend their performance boundaries but the basic building blocks and the techniques for choosing the best device and implementing it in a design have not changed. Analogue to digital and digital to analogue converters are crucial components in the continued drive to replace analogue circuitry with more controllable and less costly digital processing. This paper discusses the technologies available to perform in the likely measurement and control applications that arise within accelerators. It covers much of the terminology and 'specmanship' together with an application-oriented analysis of the realisable performance of the various types. Finally, some hints and warnings on system integration problems are given.Comment: 15 pages, contribution to the 2014 CAS - CERN Accelerator School: Power Converters, Baden, Switzerland, 7-14 May 201