Intra-chip wireless interconnect for clock distribution implemented with integrated antennas, receivers, and transmitters

TLDR

The paper proposes and demonstrates a wireless interconnect system that transmits and receives RF signals across a chip using integrated antennas, receivers, and transmitters. The system uses a voltage‑controlled oscillator, output amplifier, and antenna for transmission, and an antenna, low‑noise amplifier, frequency divider, and buffers for reception, all implemented in 0.18‑µm CMOS and demonstrated at 15 GHz. The authors demonstrate wireless clock distribution by broadcasting a 15‑GHz global clock across a 5.6‑mm chip and by receiving it to generate a 1.875‑GHz local clock, marking the first on‑chip clock transmitter with an integrated antenna and the second such receiver, with roughly doubled frequency and distance compared to prior work.

Abstract

A wireless interconnect system which transmits and receives RF signals across a chip using integrated antennas, receivers, and transmitters is proposed and demonstrated. The transmitter consists of a voltage-controlled oscillator, an output amplifier, and an antenna, while the receiver consists of an antenna, a low-noise amplifier, a frequency divider, and buffers. Using a 0.18-/spl mu/m CMOS technology, each of these individual circuits is demonstrated at 15 GHz. Wireless interconnection for clock distribution is then demonstrated in two stages. First, a wireless transmitter with integrated antenna generates and broadcasts a 15-GHz global clock signal across a 5.6-mm test chip, and this signal is detected using receiving antennas. Second, a wireless clock receiver with an integrated antenna detects a 15-GHz global clock signal supplied to an on-chip transmitting antenna located 5.6 mm away from the receiver, and generates a 1.875-GHz local clock signal. This is the first known demonstration of an on-chip clock transmitter with an integrated antenna and the second demonstration of a clock receiver with an integrated antenna, where the receiver's frequency and interconnection distance have approximately been doubled over previous results.