5G毫米波反向阵极简构架与CMOS芯片实现

Simplified Architecture of 5G Millimeter-wave Retrodirective Array and Its Implementation in CMOS Chips

该文首次报道了一种极简构架的5G毫米波反向阵设计原理及其CMOS芯片实现技术。该毫米波反向阵极简构架,利用次谐波混频器提供相位共轭和阵列反向功能,无需移相电路及波束控制系统,便可实现波束自动回溯移动通信功能。该文采用国产0.18μm CMOS工艺研制了5G毫米波反向阵芯片,包括发射前端、接收前端及跟踪锁相环等核心模块,其中发射及接收前端芯片采用次谐波混频及跨导增强等技术,分别实现了19.5 d B和18.7 d B的实测转换增益。所实现的跟踪锁相环芯片具备双模工作优势,可根据不同参考信号支持幅度调制及相位调制,实测输出信号相噪优于–125 dBc/Hz@100 kHz。该文给出的测试结果验证了所提5G毫米波反向阵通信架构及其CMOS芯片实现的可行性,从而为5G/6G毫米波通信探索了一种架构极简、成本极低、拓展性强的新方案。

For the first time,a simplified architecture for 5G millimeter-wave retrodirective arrays and its implementation in CMOS chips is reported in this paper.Phase conjugation and retrodirective functions are provided by sub-harmonic mixers in the simplified architecture,eliminating the need for phase-shifting circuits and beam-controlling systems,thereby enabling automatic beam tracking for mobile communications.For validation,a domestic 0.18 mm CMOS process is employed to realize a 5G millimeter-wave retrodirective array chip,comprising core modules such as the transceiver front-ends and tracking phase-locked loop.Measured conversion gains of 19.5 dB for transmitting and 18.7 dB for receiving are achieved by the transceiver front-end chip utilizing sub-harmonic mixing and gm-boosting techniques.Dual-mode operation capabilities,supporting both amplitude modulation and phase modulation based on different reference signals,are provided by the implemented tracking phase-locked loop chip,with measured output signal phase noise lower than–125 dBc/Hz@100 kHz.The feasibility of the proposed 5G millimeter-wave retrodirective array communication architecture and its CMOS chip implementation is validated by the test results presented in this paper,thus offering a new solution for 5G/6G millimeter-wave communication characterized by its extremely simplified architecture,low cost,and high scalability.