A holistic approach to accurate tuning of RF systems for large and small multiparameter perturbations

In this paper, a holistic yield recovery approach based on post manufacture tuning of RF circuits and systems under large as well as small multi-parameter process variations is developed. Marginally failing devices (small parameter deviations) are tuned using a nonlinear ¿Augmented Lagrange¿ algorithm driven optimization engine that includes test specification values and power consumption in its optimization framework. A novel built-in alternate tuning test is used to explicitly evaluate all the DUT specifications at each optimization iteration. For large parameter deviations well beyond the test specification limits of the DUT, determination of the different specification values is difficult. Such devices are tuned using a golden response tuning approach which optimizes the DUT specifications implicitly until the DUT is ¿good enough¿ to be tuned by the prior Augmented Lagrange algorithm. The proposed methodology enables yield recovery of devices not possible with earlier methods, avoids local minima and can be implemented at low cost.