CMOS fully compatible microwave detector based on MOSFET operating in resistive regime

A microwave detector featuring full compatibility with standard CMOS process is presented. It is based on the channel resistance nonlinearity of a MOSFET operating in ohmic regime. The detecting sensitivity is shown to be tuned to below mW power by properly setting the bias voltage of the gate and of the drain of the transistor. Experiments with 180-nm gate length transistor have confirmed detecting operation up to 34GHz. The absence of additional technological steps required for the detector fabrication with respect to a standard CMOS process opens the realm of RF monitoring in products at virtually no cost.