220 - 250-GHz Phased-Array Circuits in 0.13-/spl mu/m SiGe BiCMOS Technology

Abstract

This paper describes the design of 220-250-GHz phased-array circuits in 0.13- μm BiCMOS technology. The design aspects of the active and passive devices that are used in the phased-array systems, such as balun, Wilkinson divider, and branch-line coupler, are presented in details. A millimeter-wave vector modulator is designed to support both amplitude and phase control for beam-forming applications. The designed circuits are integrated together to form a four-channel 220-250-GHz phased-array chip. Each channel exhibits 360° phase control with 18 dB of amplitude control. The entire chip draws 167 mA from a 3.3-V supply. The millimeter-wave phase shifting and the low-power consumption makes it ideal for highly integrated scalable beam-forming systems for both imaging, radiometry, and communication applications.