A 37-87 GHz Continuously Tunable Signal Source in a 130 nm SiGe:C BiCMOS Technology

This paper presents a signal source with a continuous frequency tuning range of 50 GHz for high resolution FMCW radar systems in the lower millimeter wave region. The concept of the signal source is based on an ultra-wideband
$\mathbf{K}_{\mathrm{u}}$
-Band LC-VCO along with two cascaded bootstrapped Gilbert-Cell frequency doublers. The chip is fabricated in Infineon's BiCMOS production technology B11HFC which offers HBTs with an
$\boldsymbol{f}_{\mathbf{T}}$
of 250 GHz and
$\boldsymbol{f}_{\max}$
of 370 GHz. The chip has a power consumption of only 241 mW and uses an area of 0.864
$\mathbf{mm}^{2}$
. The signal source reaches an absolute frequency tuning range (FTR) of 50 GHz (relative FTR=81%) at a center frequency of 62.2 GHz. The phase noise at 1 MHz offset is as low as -95 dBc/Hz. The output level is around 3 dBm.