CMOS technology for MS/RF SoC

Abstract

Accelerated scaling of CMOS technology has contributed to remove otherwise fundamental barriers preempting its widespread application to mixed-signal/radio-frequency (MS/RF) segments. Improvements in device speed, matching, and minimum noise figure are all consistent with fundamental scaling trends. Other figures-of-merit such as linearity and 1/f noise do not scale favorably but are not considered to be roadblocks when viewed from a circuit design perspective. Furthermore, interconnect architectural scaling trends in logic technology have facilitated improvements in passive-component performance metrics. These improvements compounded with innovations in circuit design have made CMOS technology the primary choice for cost driven MS/RF applications. This paper reviews active and passive elements of CMOS MS/RF system-on-chip (SoC) technology from a scaling perspective. The paper also discusses the implications that physical phenomena such as mechanical stress and gate leakage as well as gate patterning have on technology definition and characterization.