Title :
CMOS Micromachined Inductors With Structure Supports for RF Mixer Matching Networks
Author :
Wu, Jerry C. ; Zaghloul, Mona E.
Author_Institution :
Dept. of Electr. & Comput. Eng., George Washington Univ., Washington, DC
Abstract :
This letter presents the comparison of three novel structure supports for on-chip complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS)-based micromachined inductors by using a proposed two-step maskless post-CMOS process. A 3-D electromagnetic inductor simulation model is established and calibrated with inductor fabrication. The proposed inductors are applied in the matching network of the double-balanced Gilbert mixer to improve the performance and the mechanical stability. The mixers, with and without micromachined process inductors, are fabricated in a 0.5-mum CMOS process and compared in this letter. The measurement results show a 28.12% increase in conversion gain, a 31.7% improvement in third intercept point, and a 44% reduction in the noise figure.
Keywords :
CMOS integrated circuits; inductors; integrated circuit noise; mechanical stability; micromachining; micromechanical devices; mixers (circuits); radiofrequency integrated circuits; 0.5-mum CMOS process; 3-D electromagnetic inductor simulation model; RF mixer matching network; calibration; complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor-based micromachined inductor; conversion gain; double-balanced Gilbert mixer; mechanical stability; noise figure; on-chip CMOS micromachined inductor; radio-frequency integrated circuit; size 0.5 micron; third intercept point; two-step maskless post-CMOS process; CMOS process; Electromagnetic induction; Electromagnetic modeling; Fabrication; Gain measurement; Inductors; Noise measurement; Radio frequency; Semiconductor device modeling; Stability; Complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS); input matching; mechanical stability; microelectromechanical systems (MEMS); mixer; reactive ion etching;
Journal_Title :
Electron Device Letters, IEEE
DOI :
10.1109/LED.2008.2005514
