Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-p9bg8 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-27T11:48:18.272Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

A 240-GHz circularly polarized FMCW radar based on a SiGe transceiver with a lens-coupled on-chip antenna

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 March 2015

K. Statnikov*
Affiliation:
University of Wuppertal, Institute for High Frequency and Communication Technology, Rainer-Gruenter-Str. 21, 42119 Wuppertal, Germany
J. Grzyb
Affiliation:
University of Wuppertal, Institute for High Frequency and Communication Technology, Rainer-Gruenter-Str. 21, 42119 Wuppertal, Germany
N. Sarmah
Affiliation:
University of Wuppertal, Institute for High Frequency and Communication Technology, Rainer-Gruenter-Str. 21, 42119 Wuppertal, Germany
S. Malz
Affiliation:
University of Wuppertal, Institute for High Frequency and Communication Technology, Rainer-Gruenter-Str. 21, 42119 Wuppertal, Germany
B. Heinemann
Affiliation:
IHP, Im Technologiepark 25, 15236 Frankfurt (Oder), Germany
U. R. Pfeiffer
Affiliation:
University of Wuppertal, Institute for High Frequency and Communication Technology, Rainer-Gruenter-Str. 21, 42119 Wuppertal, Germany
*
Corresponding author: K. Statnikov Email: statnikov@uni-wuppertal.de

Abstract

A 240-GHz monostatic circular polarized SiGe frequency-modulated continuous wave radar system based on a transceiver chip with a single on-chip antenna is presented. The radar transceiver front-end is implemented in a low-cost 0.13 µm SiGe HBT technology version with cut-off frequencies fT/fmax of 300/450 GHz. The transmit block comprises a wideband ×16 frequency multiplier chain, a three-stage PA, while the receive block consists of a low-noise amplifier, a fundamental quadrature down-conversion mixer, and a three-stage PA to drive the mixer. A differential branch-line coupler and a differential dual-polarized on-chip antenna are added on-chip to realize a fully integrated radar transceiver. All building blocks are implemented fully differential. The use of a single antenna in the circular polarized radar transceiver leads to compact size and high sensitivity. The measured peak-radiated power from the Si-lens equipped radar module is +11 dBm (equivalent isotropically radiated power) at 246 GHz and noise figure is 21 dB. The characterization bandwidth of the radar transceiver is 60 GHz around the center frequency of 240 GHz, and the simulated Tx-to-Rx leakage is below −20 dB from 230 to 260 GHz. After system calibration the resolution of the system to distinguish between two targets at different distance of 3.65 mm is achieved, which is only 21% above the theoretical limit.

Type
Research Papers
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press and the European Microwave Association 2015 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

[1] Maurer, L.; Haider, G.; Knapp, H.: 77 GHz SiGe based bipolar transceivers for automotive radar applications – an industrial perspective, New Circuits and Systems Conference (NEWCAS), 2011 IEEE International, 2011, 257260.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[2] Li, C.; Lubecke, V.M.; Boric-Lubecke, O.; Lin, J.: A review on recent advances in doppler radar sensors for noncontact healthcare monitoring. IEEE Trans. Microw. Theory Tech., 61 (2013), 20462060.Google Scholar
[3] Chen, V.: Detection and analysis of human motion by radar, in 2008 IEEE Radar Conf., 2008.Google Scholar
[4] Karpowicz, N. et al. : Compact continuous-wave subterahertz system for inspection applications. Appl. Phys. Lett., 86 (2005), 054105.Google Scholar
[5] Cooper, K.B. et al. : Penetrating 3-D imaging at 4- and 25-m range using a submillimeter-wave radar. IEEE Trans. Microw. Theory Tech., 56 (2008), 27712778.Google Scholar
[6] Essen, H. et al. : A High Performance 220-GHz Broadband Experimental Radar, in 2008 33rd Int. Conf. on Infrared, Millimeter and Terahertz Waves, September 2008, 12.Google Scholar
[7] Bryllert, T.; Drakinskiy, V.; Cooper, K.B.; Stake, J.: Integrated 200–240-GHz FMCW radar transceiver module. IEEE Trans. Microw. Theory Tech., 61 (2013), 38083815.Google Scholar
[8] Shen, T.-M.; Kao, T.-Y.J.; Huang, T.-Y.; Tu, J.; Lin, J.; Wu, R.-B.: Antenna design of 60-GHz micro-radar system-in-package for noncontact vital sign detection. IEEE Antennas Wireless Propag. Lett., 11 (2012), 17021705.Google Scholar
[9] Jahn, M.; Stelzer, A.: A 120 GHz FMCW radar frontend demonstrator based on a SiGe chipset. Int. J. Microw. Wireless Technol., 4 (2012), 309315.Google Scholar
[10] Jaeschke, T.; Bredendiek, C.; Pohl, N.: A 240 GHz ultra-wideband FMCW radar system with on-chip antennas for high resolution radar imaging, in 2013 IEEE MTT-S Int. Microwave Symp. Digest (MTT). IEEE, June 2013, 14.Google Scholar
[11] Statnikov, K.; Ojefors, E.; Grzyb, J.; Chevalier, P.; Pfeiffer, U.R.: A 0.32 THz FMCW radar system based on low-cost lens-integrated SiGe HBT front-ends, in 2013 Proc. of the ESSCIRC (ESSCIRC). IEEE, September 2013, 8184.Google Scholar
[12] Kim, J.-g.; Sim, S.-h.; Cheon, S.; Hong, S.: 24 GHz circularly polarized Doppler radar with a single antenna, in 2005 European Microwave Conf., 2005, 41386.Google Scholar
[13] Statnikov, K.; Sarmah, N.; Grzyb, J.; Malz, S.; Heinemann, B.; Pfeiffer, U.R.: A 240 ghz circular polarized FMCW radar based on a SiGe transceiver with a lens-integrated on-chip antenna, in The 11th European Radar Conf. (EuRAD), October 2014, 447450.Google Scholar
[14] Rucker, H.; Heinemann, B.; Fox, A.: Half-Terahertz SiGe BiCMOS Technology, in 2012 IEEE 12th Topical Meeting on Silicon Monolithic Integrated Circuits in RF Systems. IEEE, January 2012, 133136.Google Scholar
[15] Reynolds, S.; Floyd, B.; Pfeiffer, U.; Zwick, T.: 60 GHz transceiver circuits in SiGe bipolar technology. in 2004 IEEE Int. Solid-State Circuits Conf., 23 (5) (2004), IEEE, 442538.Google Scholar
[16] Filipovic, D.; Gearhart, S.; Rebeiz, G.: Double-slot antennas on extended hemispherical and elliptical silicon dielectric lenses. IEEE Trans. Microw. Theory Tech., 41 (1993), 17381749.Google Scholar