Antenna-in-Package (AiP) Using Through-Polymer Vias (TPVs) for a 122-GHz Radar Chip

High-performance IC-to-antenna interconnection is one of the key enablers for the mass production of high-end millimeter wave (mmW) radar systems above 100 GHz. In this work, a radar system with an on-package antenna array working at 122 GHz is presented. The antenna is placed on top of the molded package and the antenna-to-chip interconnection...

Design and Realization of a Lensless CMOS Image Sensor for Light Source Tracking

Localization of a light source in the space requires capturing its light intensity and angle information. However, conventional CMOS image sensors can only capture light intensity and wavelength. These sensors need to be augmented with an optical extension such as an aperture or a lens in order to capture the angle information. The use of...

5G mm-Wave Downconverter: Architecture for the Antenna Dome System

The commercialization of millimeter wave frequencies for the 5G New Radio standard requires time and cost -effective testing equipment. The over-the-air measurement setup developed at the TU Delft (ADome) is able to reduce measurement time, by positioning multiple fixed sensing nodes around the antenna-under-test. To expand the system...

Design of Current-Mode RF/mm-wave Front-Ends

This thesis investigates the performance limits and design challenges of two current-mode front-end concepts that target WiFi and mm-wave 5G applications, respectively. The first concept is a power amplifier (PA), which operates at 2.4GHz and is driven by a direct-digital RF modulator (DDRM). A design for the PA, which also includes a parallel...

Cryogenic SiGe Bipolar Amplifiers for Spin-Qubit DC Readout

In recent years, quantum computers have become increasingly popular, with high-profile companies in-vesting more and more resources into the development of quantum-computing prototypes. Such interest is motivated by the exponential increase in the computing power that quantum computers offer over classical computers, which may be used in several...

170-GHz Power Amplifier in 0.13-μm SiGe BiCMOS

In recent years, the demand for the wireless connectivity is increasing and leads to the research into the above 100GHz design. Developments have been made with the circuit and technologies to make the circuit operate at 100GHz. The current availability of silicon-based technologies providing devices with ft/fmax frequencies exceeding 300-GHz...

Introduction of Zener Diodes, JFETs and DMOSTs in a BiCMOS Process and Implementation of OTP Memory

In this research a feasibility study was performed on introducing Zener diodes, junction field-effect transistors (JFETs) and double-diffused MOS transistors (DMOSTs) in an existing silicon 0.25 μm BiCMOS process. As a restriction, no changes to the process were allowed. Lateral polysilicon Zener diodes were designed and optimized for low...

Design and Integration of Graphene Sensors with Read-Out Electronics: A Graphene-Based Pirani Pressure Sensor Integrated with the BICMOS Process

In this research work, efforts have been made to successfully integrate graphene in a standard CMOS fabrication process without the need for wafer-to-wafer transferring. For this purpose, a graphene-based Pirani sensor is integrated in the BICMOS process. Two batches of graphene-based Pirani sensors are characterized, resulting in world’s first...

Monolithic 3D Wafer Level Integration: Applied for Smart LED Wafer Level Packaging

Monolithically Integrated Light Feedback Control Circuit for Blue/UV LED Smart Package

Given the performance decay of high-power light-emitting diode (LED) chips over time and package condition changes, having a reliable output light for sensitive applications is a point of concern. In this study, a light feedback control circuit, including blue-selective photodiodes, for blue/ultraviolet (UV) LED, has been designed and...

BiCMOS integrated waveguide power combiner at submillimeter-wave frequencies

This contribution presents the development of an integrated power combiner in Bi-CMOS technology employing artificial dielectric layers (ADLs) at submillimeter wave frequencies. The power is gathered from frequency multiplier chains into a single waveguide which is loaded with ADL in order to reduce the structure footprint.

Monolithic Integration of Rectifiers and Drivers for low power SSL applications on a Rigid to Flex Substrate

Solid State Lighting (SSL) is one of the prominent light sources for future lighting applications with benefits such as high energy savings, long lifetimes and high efficiency. The main drawback in solid state lighting system is that the total initial cost of the system is high for large scale production. Packaging and electronics components in...

Characterization of metals for Cochlear Implants

The need for Cochlear Implants (CI's) with improved functionality and quality requires new techniques to be used to manufacture the electrode array. Titanium nitride (TiN) is one of the contenders for use as metal in the future CI's, but its characteristics need to be verified, measured and tested. A metal should comply to certain requirements...

17 GHz RF Front-Ends for Low-Power Wireless Sensor Networks