We offers a service of custom microwave devices. The company provides a large range of circuits from a simple microwave amplifier to a complete T/R module. Design can be done from theelectricalmodels of customers, founderies and also from ours. After having designed the module, a service of manufacturing is also offered thanks to the available facilities (micro machining machine, wire bounding, laser and brazing...).
► Design
- Design from the electrical models of customers, founderies and also from ours
- List of designed circuits:
- Power amplifiers
- Low noise amplifiers
- Up and down converters
- Switches
- Phase shifters
- Attenuator
- High sensitive detectors
- T/R modules including digital parts
- High power sources
- Active antennas
- Radiometers
- Design of MMIC or hybrid circuit up to submillimeter wave frequencies
Turn Key MMIC
Front End Functions
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IC Design at microwave and mm wave frequencies provides some unique challenges. Key areas that can affect performance are the inductance of via holes, die thickness and the consistency of the die attach material. Optimizing bond wire length, substrate and die thickness or via hole placement and wirebond control is critical. The quality and maturity of the process and the design tools determines the overall level of risk in an MMIC. This is particularly true in millimeter wave designs where the normal RFIC design process needs to be augmented with full EM simulations. RF Integration has the technical expertise to ensure that these practical considerations are included in the design and that the final chip performs to expectations even at mm wave frequencies.
Design variants and test structures
The sensitivity of device performance to small errors in modeling, subtle layout affects or assembly variations is quite high. It is crucial to have a well thought out test structures and design variants that can be evaluated commensurate with the design.
Lumped and Distributed Design
"Ideal" lumped element inductors and capacitors with appropriate circuit parasitics for the band of operation are used to establish the initial design trade offs. The next step is to implement the design with transmission line sections or detailed models that incorporate the full parasitics of each element. Series inductors are realized as short lengths of high impedance transmission lines. Series capacitors are realized as standard MIM (Metal Insulator Metal) structures. Shunt capacitors are implemented as open circuit distributed transmission lines.
Preliminary Layout
An MMIC design flow using Agilent’s ADS tool set allows the layout to be developed in parallel with the design. This is crucial for microwave and mm wave frequencies, since a clean layout is the single largest factor in achieving the required performance.
EM Simulations
Variations over voltage, temperature and process are evaluated and the overall design is centered. EM simulations of critical on-chip and off-chip transitions are included in the design. Finally design variants and test structures are optimized and laid out. At each stage, the layout is reviewed for performance degradation due to circuit parasitics. Full electromagnetic (EM) simulations of coupling, bond wires, ground inductance and on-chip matching structures are required.
Process Technology
High power microwave and mm wave performance requires unique process technology with capabilities in GaAs PHEMT, HBT GaN and MHEMT. Our strategic relationships with best in class GaAs foundries ensure that the selection of the optimum process technology based on required performance, technical risk and cost competitiveness. RF Integration can serve as the primary foundry interface or support the customers process selection.
Our engineers have developed products ranging from high performance building blocks to complete phased array MMICs for radar and communication applications.
Some specific examples include:
- Cellular and Wireless LAN T/R switches from DC to 5GHz up to 5Watts,
- Cellular Power Amplifiers at 900MHz and 1.8GHz,
- X and Ku band power amplifiers,
- X and Ku band phase shifter and control elements to 86GHz,
- C band SiGe Transceivers.
Turn Key RFIC
Architectures
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Design
From high performance building blocks such as Low Noise Amplifiers or VCOs to complete Radio Systems.All designs are verified with industry standard tool sets. A high degree of customer involvement and sign off is integral to RF integration’s design process.
Wafer Fabrication
Our strategic relationships with best-in class-foundries ensure the selection of optimum process technology based on required performance, technical risk and cost competitiveness. RF Integration can serve as the primary foundry interface or support the customers process selection.
Assembly
Selection of the assembly and package supplier is crucial to RF performance. Poor control of assembly variations such as bondwire length can affect yield and performance. RF Integration’s relationships with well established and ITAR approved partners ensure a robust supply chain.
Validation
universal test platfom, icECAPS, supports full circuit level validation. Complex RFICs can have many configurations. icECAPS automates the validation process with application driven testing and complete custom test reports. A design transitions to production with high confidence of system compliance.
Production Release
Test and validation are considerations are taken into account during the initial phases of design. Test modes and test ports support predefined test vectors. Design and release of handler boards ensures a high degree of correlation between production test data and system compliance.
Our engineers have developed highly integrated RFICs for:
- Cellular (GSM, CDMA, W-CDMA, HSDPA),
- GPS/GNSS (Commercial and Military GPS in both L1 and L2 bands),
- 802.11 a/b/g/n, WiFi and proprietary ISM band applications,
- 802.15.1 (Bluetooth), 802.14.4 (Zigbee) and 802.15.3 (WiMedia ) standards,
- WiMax, MMDS, and wideband fixed wireless networks,
- Custom solutions for military radar , cellular backhaul and wideband systems.
Turn Key SoC
The concept of a “System on Chip” (SoC) conjures up large complex digital ICs with tens of millions of gates. What is less obvious is the compelling for need low power mixed mode ICs with integrated low power processors, analog instrumentation and a Radio subsystem. With applications spanning M2M, medical sensors, personal area network industrial automation and wireless sensor networks, this new generation of SoCs provides low cost and low power wireless connections, signal processing and sensing capabilities. With Digital gate counts ranging from a few hundred thousand to a few million, precision analog instrumentation and a multi mode or multiband radios, these SoCs can significantly reduce the cost, size or power consumption compared to off the shelf Zigbee, Bluetooth or 802.11 chip sets.
RF Integration combines the three major capabilities required for these SoC solutions under one roof.
RF and Analog IP
From building blocks such as Low Noise Amplifiers or VCOs through complete Radio Subsystems as well as develop a full custom RF and Analog subsystem. This includes all the power regulation, A/D and D/A conversion as well as control and calibration loops and temperature sensors, implement modulation and demodulation of the RF signal in the analog or digital domain.
Synthesizable Digital Cores
Ability to support a full digital design and verification flow allows integration of your proprietary digital IP, third party IP or custom logic design into a full mixed mode design. Building blocks such as mircocontrollers, RAM, ROM or EEPROM, processing blocks and house keeping functions such as timers and GPIO can be specified and included in the SoC.