UWB-IR transceiver for millimeter wave WLAN

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the high potentiality in terms of data rate and multiple access of a novel 60 GHz WLAN architecture for smart objects and indoor communication systems. This approach is based on the up-conversion of an ultra wide bandwidth impulse radio signal (IR-UWB) in the 60 GHz frequency range to benefit of the natural advantages of the UWB technique while avoiding the base band limitations (FCC part 15, interferences, antenna size,...). This complete architecture has been designed using a pHEMT foundry process (f _t = 100 GHz). Each mm-wave and base band devices have been tested: mm-wave source, modulator, amplifiers, RF detector and correlator. The final demonstrator is fully monolithically integrated. A space division multiple access (SDMA) multi users is now under test using smart antennas. This is done using quasi-YAGI antennas switched with RF MEMS. In fact, future high data rate WLAN (wireless local area network) will be realized using smart antennas to reduce in the same time the consumption, the link budget and the multipath effects