Ultracompact 160-GHz FMCW Radar MMIC With Fully Integrated Offset Synthesizer

作者：Hitzler Martin^*; Saulig Stefan; Boehm Linus; Mayer Winfried; Winkler Wolfgang; Uddin Nasir; Waldschmidt Christian

来源：IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques, 2017, 65(5): 1682-1691.

DOI：10.1109/TMTT.2017.2653111

• D-band
• distance sensor
• frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW)
• integrated antenna
• integrated phase locked loop (PLL)
• millimeter wave (mm-wave)
• monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs)
• phase noise
• radar system
• SiGe bipolar

The dynamic range of frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) radar sensors is often limited by the phase noise of the ramp signal. Especially at millimeter wave (mm-wave) frequencies, a low phase noise signal is very difficult to obtain. In this paper, a new system architecture, which is implemented in a low-cost, ultracompact FMCW radar monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) at 160 GHz, is proposed to address this topic. The approach is based on a frequency offset synthesizer, whose upconverting mixer is driven by a stabilized low phase noise local oscillator (LO) signal. This LO is generated by a fixed-frequency phase locked loop with a 2(N) divider. The upconversion of the ramp signal with the stabilized LO signal leads to an excellent mm-wave phase noise of -89 dBc/Hz at a frequency offset of 1 MHz. By integrating the antennas on the MMIC, interconnects at mm-wave frequencies to package or printed circuit board are avoided and a simple assembly and interconnection technology is feasible. The ultracompact MMIC is realized on an area of only 2 mm(2), including the integrated antennas. A precision below 5 mu m for range measurements is demonstrated with the radar sensor. Additionally, the radar performance is evaluated with two different voltage-controlled oscillators for the generation of the ramp signal.

• 出版日期2017-5