A MM-loaded sub-THz on-chip antenna with a narrow beamwidth, 9 dB gain and a simulated peak efficiency of 76% at the center frequency of 300 GHz is presented. By surrounding the antenna with a single MM-cell ring defined solely on the top metal of the back-end of line, an efficient suppression of the surface waves is obtained. The on-chip antenna has been designed using IHPs 130 nm SiGe BiCMOS technology with a 7-layer metallization stack, combined with the local backside etching process aimed to creating an air cavity which is then terminated by a reflective plane. By comparing the measured MM-loaded antenna performances to its non-MM-loaded counterpart, an enhanced integrity of the main lobe due to the MM-cells shielding effect can be observed. An excellent agreement between the simulated and measured performances has been found, which makes the MM-loaded antennas a valid alternative for the upcoming next-generation sub-THz transceivers.
Gain enhancement of BiCMOS on-chip sub-THz antennas by mean of meta-cells / Stocchi, M.; Cao, Z.; Joseph, C. H.; Voss, T.; Mencarelli, D.; Pierantoni, L.; Kaynak, C. B.; Hebeler, J.; Zwick, T.; Wietstruck, M.; Kaynak, M.. - In: SCIENTIFIC REPORTS. - ISSN 2045-2322. - STAMPA. - 12:1(2022), p. 3946. [10.1038/s41598-022-07902-0]
Gain enhancement of BiCMOS on-chip sub-THz antennas by mean of meta-cells
Stocchi M.;Joseph C. H.;Mencarelli D.;Pierantoni L.;
2022-01-01
Abstract
A MM-loaded sub-THz on-chip antenna with a narrow beamwidth, 9 dB gain and a simulated peak efficiency of 76% at the center frequency of 300 GHz is presented. By surrounding the antenna with a single MM-cell ring defined solely on the top metal of the back-end of line, an efficient suppression of the surface waves is obtained. The on-chip antenna has been designed using IHPs 130 nm SiGe BiCMOS technology with a 7-layer metallization stack, combined with the local backside etching process aimed to creating an air cavity which is then terminated by a reflective plane. By comparing the measured MM-loaded antenna performances to its non-MM-loaded counterpart, an enhanced integrity of the main lobe due to the MM-cells shielding effect can be observed. An excellent agreement between the simulated and measured performances has been found, which makes the MM-loaded antennas a valid alternative for the upcoming next-generation sub-THz transceivers.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
