A delay spread cancelling waveform characterizer for RF power amplifiers

A two channel 65 nm CMOS RF-waveform characterizer is presented that enables multi-harmonic Adaptive Matching Networks (AMN) or Adaptive Digital Pre-Distortion (ADPD) in RF-power amplifiers. The characterizer measures the DC component and the first 3 harmonics of RF signals by applying a DFT to 8 (ideally) equally spaced quasi-DC output voltages. Conventionally in these types of systems accuracy is limited by sample timing accuracies, which in our case are mainly due to delay cell mismatch. We introduce a novel way to cancel delay cell mismatch, that significantly increases measurement accuracy at the cost of only a small power and area increase. The RF-waveform characterizer achieves 6.8-bit measurement linearity together with a (clock feedthrough limited) 24 dB SFDR. The measured power consumption for our proof-of-principle demonstrator is 18.6 mW at a maximum input signal frequency of 1.1 GHz under continuous operation

A 7-8 GHz serrodyne modulator in SiGe for MIMO signal generation

An 8-bit 360o sawtooth modulated phase shifter is used to apply very small frequency offsets to RF signals between 7 and 8 GHz. Offsets between 6 Hz and 10MHz can be obtained. Such frequency offsets can be used to generate orthogonal signals, which are required in e.g. MIMO applications. Each undesired frequency component is suppressed to below -30 dBc. The phase modulator is realized in a 250 nm SiGe BICMOS technology

RF Circuit linearity optimization using a general weak nonlinearity model

This paper focuses on optimizing the linearity in known RF circuits, by exploring the circuit design space that is usually available in today’s deep submicron CMOS technologies. Instead of using brute force numerical optimizers we apply a generalized weak nonlinearity model that only involves AC transfer functions to derive simple equations for obtaining design insights. The generalized weak nonlinearity model is applied to three known RF circuits: a cascode common source amplifier, a common gate LNA and a CMOS attenuator. It is shown that in deep submicron CMOS technologies the cascode transistor in both the common source amplifier and in the common gate amplifier significantly contributes IM3 distortion. Some design insights are presented for reducing the cascode transistor related distortion, among which moderate inversion biasing that improves IIP3 by 10 dB up to 5 GHz in a 90 nm CMOS process. For the attenuator, a wideband IM3 cancellation technique is introduced and demonstrated using simulations

A multi-step P-cell for LNA design automation

This paper presents a novel way to efficiently implement parametric cells (P-cells). A narrow-band LNA is used as demonstration vehicle. In the P-cell, circuit parameters such as transistor size, bias condition and passive values are determined automatically for any given reachable target performance. To achieve both high accuracy and relatively high speed, a new iterative stepped approach is used with respect to speed and accuracy, starting with moderate-accuracy and fast optimization that yields the starting point for the next higheraccuracy and slower optimization step. The presented approach can be extended to other types of circuits

Rationale and design of TransplantLines:a prospective cohort study and biobank of solid organ transplant recipients

Introduction In the past decades, short-term results after solid organ transplantation have markedly improved. Disappointingly, this has not been accompanied by parallel improvements in long-term outcomes after transplantation. To improve graft and recipient outcomes, identification of potentially modifiable risk factors and development of biomarkers are required. We provide the rationale and design of a large prospective cohort study of solid organ transplant recipients (TransplantLines). Methods and analysis TransplantLines is designed as a single-centre, prospective cohort study and biobank including all different types of solid organ transplant recipients as well as living organ donors. Data will be collected from transplant candidates before transplantation, during transplantation, at 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, 2 years and 5 years, and subsequently every 5 years after transplantation. Data from living organ donors will be collected before donation, during donation, at 3 months, 1 year and 5 years after donation, and subsequently every 5 years. The primary outcomes are mortality and graft failure. The secondary outcomes will be cause-specific mortality, cause-specific graft failure and rejection. The tertiary outcomes will be other health problems, including diabetes, obesity, hypertension, hypercholesterolaemia and cardiovascular disease, and disturbances that relate to quality of life, that is, physical and psychological functioning, including quality of sleep, and neurological problems such as tremor and polyneuropathy. Ethics and dissemination Ethical approval has been obtained from the relevant local ethics committee. The TransplantLines cohort study is designed to deliver pioneering insights into transplantation and donation outcomes. The study design allows comprehensive data collection on perioperative care, nutrition, social and psychological functioning, and biochemical parameters. This may provide a rationale for future intervention strategies to more individualised, patient-centred transplant care and individualisation of treatment