28-GHz SiGe Bidirectional 4-Element Beamformer Chip for 5G Applications Based on a 4-Way Ultracompact Switchable Power Divider

28-GHz SiGe Bidirectional 4-Element Beamformer Chip for 5G Applications Based on a 4-Way Ultracompact Switchable Power Divider

clockVolume: 72, Issue: 12, December 2024

authorAniello Franzese

28-GHz SiGe Bidirectional 4-Element Beamformer Chip for 5G Applications Based on a 4-Way Ultracompact Switchable Power Divider

Abstract
DOI: 10.1109/TMTT.2024.3409571   IEEEXplore: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10568089    
Device
130nm SiGe BiCMOS Bidirectional 4-Element Beamformer
Spectrum
28 GHz
Novelty
A single inductor N-way ultracompact switchable power divider (SPD) improves switching effectiveness and reduces the chip area compared to Wilkinson power divider designs by embedding the SPDT switch within the power divider. This novel design reduces the silicon chip length 1 mm compared to previous designs.
Application
5G beam former applications with high numbers of TRx elements.
Performance
11 dBm OP1dB in Tx-mode, -28 dBm IP1dB in Rx-mode; 24 dB peak gain in Tx-mode, 23 dB peak gain in Rx-mode; 5 GHz 3dB BW. 11.25° phase resolution with less than 2.4° phase error and less than 0.4 dB RMS amplitude error. 231 mW power consumption per element in TX-mode, 92 mW in RX-mode. 2.9 mm x 2.2 mm (6.38 mm2) die area.