Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-jkksz Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-27T23:34:52.358Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

A SiGe transceiver chipset for automotive radar applications using wideband modulation sequences

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 May 2019

Jan Schoepfel Open the ORCID record for Jan Schoepfel [Opens in a new window] ,
Simon Kueppers ,
Klaus Aufinger  and
Nils Pohl
Jan Schoepfel*
Affiliation:
Ruhr-University Bochum, D-44780 Bochum, Germany
Simon Kueppers
Affiliation:
Ruhr-University Bochum, D-44780 Bochum, Germany
Klaus Aufinger
Affiliation:
Infineon Technologies AG, D-85579 Neubiberg, Germany
Nils Pohl
Affiliation:
Ruhr-University Bochum, D-44780 Bochum, Germany
*
Author for correspondence: Jan Schoepfel E-mail: jan.schoepfel@ruhr-uni-bochum.de
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

This paper presents a W-band MIMO radar transceiver chipset for automotive applications, based on a Silicon Germanium technology. It consists of a reference VCO, operating at a center frequency of 38 GHz and a companion IC that comprises a complete millimeter-wave transceiver at 76 GHz. This chipset enables building multipurpose MIMO radar systems that can be scaled in terms of transmitter and receiver count. What makes this system innovative is the fact that it is able to handle more broadband signals than systems presented in current literature and is furthermore not limited to one modulation scheme. The chipset is capable of transmitting and receiving any signal waveform. The main goal of this work was to create a functional version of a VCO and a one-channel transceiver MMIC. Furthermore a demonstrator for a proof of concept was designed to test the MMICs on a system level. The realized VCO MMIC achieves a tuning frequency range of 6 GHz with a center frequency of 38 GHz and consumes 152 mW from a 3.3 V supply. The transceiver MMIC is fully functional and achieves a saturated output power of 11.5 dBm while drawing 670 mW from a 3.3 V supply.

Keywords

Fully autonomous drivingradarSiGe bipolar ICs
Type
EuMW 2018
Information
International Journal of Microwave and Wireless Technologies , Volume 11 , Special Issue 7: MIKON 2018 / EuMW 2018 (Part II) , September 2019 , pp. 676 - 685
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press and the European Microwave Association 2019 

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

1.Dielacher, F, Tiebout, M, Lachner, R, Knapp, H, Aufinger, K and Sansen, W (2014) SiGe BiCMOS technology and circuits for active safety systems, in Proc. Technical Program – 2014 Int. Symp. VLSI Technology Systems and Application (VLSI-TSA). IEEE, April 2014, pp. 1–4.Google Scholar
2.Hasch, J, Topak, E, Schnabel, R, Zwick, T, Weigel, R and Waldschmidt, C (2012) Millimeter-wave technology for automotive radar sensors in the 77 GHz frequency band. IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques 60, 845–860.Google Scholar
3.Pohl, N, Jaeschke, T and Aufinger, K (2012) An ultra-wideband 80 GHz FMCW radar system using a SiGe bipolar transceiver chip stabilized by a fractional-n PLL synthesizer. IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques 60, 757–765.Google Scholar
4.Paichard, Y (2010) OFDM waveforms for multistatic radars in Proc. IEEE Radar Conf , May 2010, pp. 1187–1190.Google Scholar
5.Feger, R, Haderer, H, Ng, HJ and Stelzer, A (2016) Realization of a sliding-correlator-based continuous-wave pseudorandom binary phase-coded radar operating in w-band. IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques 64, 3302–3318.Google Scholar
6.Pfeffer, C, Feger, R and Stelzer, A (2015) A stepped-carrier 77-GHz OFDM MIMO radar system with 4 GHz bandwidth, in Proc. European Radar Conf. (EuRAD). IEEE, Sept. 2015, pp. 97–100.Google Scholar
7.Schweizer, B, Knill, C, Schindler, D and Waldschmidt, C (2017) Stepped-carrier OFDM-radar processing scheme to retrieve high-resolution range-velocity profile at low sampling rate. IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques 66, 1610–1618.Google Scholar
8.Pfeffer, C, Feger, R, Jahn, M and Stelzer, A (2014) A 77-GHz software defined OFDM radar, in Procings 15th International Radar Symposium (IRS), June 2014, pp. 1–5.Google Scholar
9.Schoepfel, J, Kueppers, S, Aufinger, K and Pohl, N (2018) A multipurpose 76 GHz radar transceiver system for automotive applications based on SiGe mmics, in Proc. 13th European Microwave Integrated Circuits Conference (EuMIC), September 2018, pp. 45–48.Google Scholar
10.Kueppers, S, Aufinger, K and Pohl, N (2017) A fully differential 100–140 GHz frequency quadrupler in a 130 nm SiGe:c technology for MIMO radar applications using the bootstrapped gilbert-cell doubler topology, in Proceedings IEEE 17th Topical Meeting Silicon Monolithic Integrated Circuits in RF Systems (SiRF), Janauary 2017, pp. 37–39.Google Scholar
11.Welp, B, Noujeim, K and Pohl, N (2016) A wideband 20 to 28 GHz signal generator MMIC with 30.8 dBm output power based on a power amplifier cell with 31% pae in SiGe. IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits 51, 1975–1984.Google Scholar
12.Lin, H and Rebeiz, GM (2016) A 70-80-GHz SiGe amplifier with peak output power of 27.3 dBm. IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques 64, 2039–2049.Google Scholar
13.Giammello, V, Ragonese, E and Palmisano, G (2011) A 15-dBm SiGe BiCMOS pa for 77-GHz automotive radar. IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques 59, 2910–2918.Google Scholar
14.Giammello, V, Ragonese, E and Palmisano, G (2012) A transformer-coupling current-reuse SiGe HBT power amplifier for 77-GHz automotive radar. IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques 60, 1676–1683.Google Scholar
15.Chen, AY, Baeyens, Y, Chen, Y and Lin, J (2013) An 83-GHz high-gain SiGe BiCMOS power amplifier using transmission-line current-combining technique. IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques 61, 1557–1569.Google Scholar
16.Li, H, Chen, J, Hou, D, Peng, S and Hong, W (2017) A w-band power amplifier with LC balun in 0.13 μm SiGe BiCMOS process, in Proceedings IEEE International Symposium Radio-Frequency Integration Technology (RFIT), Aug. 2017, pp. 202–204.Google Scholar
17.Reuter, R and Yin, Y (2006) A 77 GHz (w-band) SiGe LNA with a 6.2 dB noise figure and gain adjustable to 33 dB, in Proceedings Bipolar/BiCMOS Circuits and Technology Meeting, October 2006, pp. 1–4.Google Scholar
18.Reynolds, SK and Powell, JD (2006) 77 and 94-GHz downconversion mixers in SiGe BiCMOS, in Proceedings IEEE Asian Solid-State Circuits Conference, November 2006, pp. 191–194.Google Scholar
19.Demirel, N, Severino, RR, Ameziane, C, Taris, T, Bégueret, J, Kerhervé, E, Mariano, A, Pache, D and Belot, D (2011) Millimeter-wave chip set for 77-81 GHz automotive radar application, in Proceedings IEEE 9th International New Circuits and systems conference, June 2011, pp. 253–256.Google Scholar
20.Li, PK, Shao, ZH, Cheng, YJ and Wang, Q (2014) A single layer wideband differential-fed patch antenna array with siw feeding networks, in Proceedings IEEE International Conference Communication Problem-solving, December 2014, pp. 665–667.Google Scholar
21.Tong, Z, Wagner, C, Feger, R, Stelzer, A and Kolmhofer, E (2008) A novel differential microstrip patch antenna and array at 79 GHz, in International Symposium on Antennas and Propagation, October 2008, pp. 1–5.Google Scholar
22.Ng, HJ, Feger, R, Wagner, C and Stelzer, A (2014) A fully-integrated 77-GHz radar transceiver using two programmable pseudo-random sequences, in Proceedings 11th European Radar Conf , October 2014, pp. 293–296.Google Scholar
23.Kucharski, M, Kissinger, D and Ng, HJ (2018) A universal monolithic e-band transceiver for automotive radar applications and v2V communication, in Proceedings IEEE 18th Topical Meeting Silicon Monolithic Integrated Circuits in RF Systems (SiRF), Janauary 2018, pp. 12–14.Google Scholar
24.Ng, HJ, Kucharski, M and Kissinger, D (2018) Pseudo-random noise radar for short-range applications in SiGe technologies, in Proceedings 22nd International Microwave and Radar Conference (MIKON), May 2018, pp. 338–341.Google Scholar
25.Kucharski, M, Kissinger, D and Ng, HJ (2018) Scalable 79- and 158-GHz integrated radar transceivers in SiGe BiCMOS technology, in Proceedings 22nd International Microwave and Radar Conference (MIKON), May 2018, pp. 342–344.Google Scholar