EERF 6330- RF IC Design

RF Passives

Prof. Bhaskar Banerjee

Bhaskar Banerjee, EERF 6330, Sp2013, UTD

Overview of Passive Components

Typical cellular phone from a decade ago.

Bhaskar Banerjee, EERF 6330, Sp2013, UTD

Overview of Passive Components

Typical smart phone.

Multiple radios.
100s of inductors, and 1000s of capacitors.
Bhaskar Banerjee, EERF 6330, Sp2013, UTD

Overview of Passive Components

Resistor
Ideal resistor

Chip resistor

Bhaskar Banerjee, EERF 6330, Sp2013, UTD

IC resistor

Overview of Passive Components

Capacitor
Ideal capacitor

Chip capacitor

Bhaskar Banerjee, EERF 6330, Sp2013, UTD

IC capacitor

Overview of Passive Components

Inductor
Ideal inductor

Chip inductor

Bhaskar Banerjee, EERF 6330, Sp2013, UTD

IC inductor

Overview of Passive Components

Advantages of integration
Cost: assembly and packaging
Design flexibility: signals stay on chip
Size
Reliability
Tolerance

Bhaskar Banerjee, EERF 6330, Sp2013, UTD

Usage of Passives for RFICs

Low Vdd design
High Z(jL)

Generate Re(Zin)
Noise/Impedance matching

Bhaskar Banerjee, EERF 6330, Sp2013, UTD

Usage of inductor for RFICs

Tuned circuit
High Z

Balun
Phase transform
Impedance transform

Bhaskar Banerjee, EERF 6330, Sp2013, UTD

Parallel RLC Network

+
R

Iin

Vout
_

1
Y =G+j C +
j L

Y =G+j

At

=0:Y
:Y

1
L

1
where, G =
R

as L dominates (short)
as C dominates (open)

Bhaskar Banerjee, EERF 6330, Sp2013, UTD

10

Parallel RLC Network

+
R

Iin

Vout
_

At

0,

such that

0C

Y = G, Im(Y ) = 0
For the RLC network:

1
0L

RESONANCE
0

1
LC

(e.g.: if L = 1 nH, C = 1 pF, 0= 5 GHz)

Bhaskar Banerjee, EERF 6330, Sp2013, UTD

11

Parallel RLC Network

+
Iin

Vout
_

RESONANCE
At 0, L and C cancel each other
However, the currents in the branches L and C are
very large!
The currents in L and C cancel each other

Bhaskar Banerjee, EERF 6330, Sp2013, UTD

12

Q-Factor
For a system under sinusoidal excitation, at frequency

Q=

energy stored
average power dissipated

Most fundamental definition

- expression is independent of what stores/dissipates the energy and
how
-Dimensionless
Applies to all general distributed and microwave systems
Applies to both Resonant and non-Resonant systems (e.g. RC
network)

Bhaskar Banerjee, EERF 6330, Sp2013, UTD

13

Q-Factor of the RLC Network at Resonance

At resonance frequency 0, let the peak current be Ipk.
The avg. power dissipated is only across R, given by,
2
Pavg = 12 Ipk
R

The total energy stored is the sum of the energies stored in C

and L - which goes back and forth between the two.
The peak energy stored in C = peak energy stored in L = total
energy stored in the network, and is given by,
2
2
Etot = 12 CVpk
= 12 CR2 Ipk

Bhaskar Banerjee, EERF 6330, Sp2013, UTD

14

Q-Factor of the RLC Network at Resonance

Etot
Q= 0
Pavg

L
C

1
LC

Q=

1
2 2
CR
Ipk
2
0 1 2
2 Ipk R

Q=

0 RC

R
L/C

has dimensions of Resistance and is called

the Characteristic Impedance (Z0) of the
network

At resonance, the inductive and capacitive impedances:

L
|ZL | = |ZC | = 0 L =
=
LC
Bhaskar Banerjee, EERF 6330, Sp2013, UTD

L
= |Z0 |
C
15

Q-Factor of the RLC Network at Resonance

R

R
Q=
=
=
|ZL,C |
0L

Note: as R

, Q

0 RC

(LC network)

Branch Currents at resonance:

|V |
|Iin |R
|Iin |R LC
|IL | = |IC | =
=
=
= |Iin |
Z
L
0L

R
L/C

= Q|Iin |

Current flowing in the inductive and capacitive branches is Q times

as large as the net current!
e.g., if Q = 1000, Iin = 1 A, |IL| = |IC| = 1000 A (at resonance)!
Bhaskar Banerjee, EERF 6330, Sp2013, UTD

16

Bandwidth and Q
|H(j)|
3 dB

BW

Q=

BW

Bhaskar Banerjee, EERF 6330, Sp2013, UTD

17

Q-factor of non-ideal L and C

L

Q=

1 2
2 Ipk L
1 2
2 Ipk R

L
=
R

Q=

= RC

2R

Z = R + jX

1
2
CV
pk
2
2
Vpk

|Im(Z)|
X
Q=
=
|Re(Z)|
R

Bhaskar Banerjee, EERF 6330, Sp2013, UTD

18

Q-factor of non-ideal L and C

R

Q=

1
RC

R
Q=
L

Bhaskar Banerjee, EERF 6330, Sp2013, UTD

19

Series RLC Network

R
Vin

Similar analysis yields:

At resonance:

Q=

L/C
R

|VC | = |VL | = Q.|VR |

Bhaskar Banerjee, EERF 6330, Sp2013, UTD

20

Generalized RLC Network

LS
C
RS

LP

RP

Bhaskar Banerjee, EERF 6330, Sp2013, UTD

21

Generalized RLC Network

Over a small frequency range around 0:

RS + j

0 LS

1
1
+
RP
j 0 LP

j 0 LP RP
=
RP + j 0 LP

Equating Re and Im parts:

2

L2P RP
RS = 2
RP + 02 L2P

2
L
R
0 P P
L
=
0 S
2 + 2 L2
RP
0 P

Now:
RP
0 LS
Q=
=
RS
0 LP

RP = RS (1 + Q2 )
LP = LS (1 + 1/Q2 )
Bhaskar Banerjee, EERF 6330, Sp2013, UTD

22

Series/Parallel Transformation

RS

RP

XP

XS

RP = RS (1 + Q2 )
XP = XS (1 + 1/Q2 )
Bhaskar Banerjee, EERF 6330, Sp2013, UTD

23

RLC Network as Impedance Transformers

Zs
Rs+jXs
vs

ZL

RL+jXL

For maximum power transfer: ZL = ZS*.

Hence we need to TRANSFORM impedances to maximize
POWER GAIN.

Bhaskar Banerjee, EERF 6330, Sp2013, UTD

24

RLC Network as Impedance Transformers

LS

RL

RS

RS = RL (Q2 + 1)
UPWARD Z-Transform:

R S > RL

Resonate the Network at the required frequency (0).

C and LS cancel each other.

Bhaskar Banerjee, EERF 6330, Sp2013, UTD

25

RLC Network as Impedance Transformers

LS

RL

RS

RS = RL /(Q2 + 1)
DOWNWARD Z-Transform:

R S < R L.

Resonate the Network at the required frequency (0).

CS and L cancel each other.
Bhaskar Banerjee, EERF 6330, Sp2013, UTD

26

RLC Network as Impedance Transformers

LS

RL

RS
LS

RL

RS

L-Matching Network

Bhaskar Banerjee, EERF 6330, Sp2013, UTD

27

Generalized L-Matching Network

X2
X1
R1

R2

Q=

R1
R2

One of X1 and X2 is an inductor, the other a capacitor.

Transform R1 to R2 and R2 to R1.
Note: R1 > R2.
Bhaskar Banerjee, EERF 6330, Sp2013, UTD

28

Generalized L-Matching Network

L

R1

R2

R1

Q=

R1
R2

R2

!0 L
Q=
= !0 CR1
R2

1
R1
Q=
=
!0 CR2
!0 L

Q of the network is FIXED!

Two degrees of freedom: L and C
When the Z-transform ratio AND the frequency 0 are fixed => Q is fixed!

Bhaskar Banerjee, EERF 6330, Sp2013, UTD

29

Example
Frequency: 1 GHz, R1 = 50 , R2 = 5 , BW = 25 MHz.
L-match:
L

BW = 2 25 106 Hz and !0 = 2 109 rad/s

Q=

!0
= 40
BW

R2

R1

Q=

R1
R2

1=

50
5

1=3

Clearly, L-network cannot meet the required Q!

Q=

!0 L
R2

Q = !0 CR1

=)

L=

=)

QR2
35
=
2.4 nH
!0
2 109

C=

Q
= 9.55 pF
! 0 R1

Bhaskar Banerjee, EERF 6330, Sp2013, UTD

30

 -Matching
L

C1

C2
R2

R1

L1
C1

L2
C2
R2

R1
Transforms
UP

Transforms
DOWN

Network is popular because the parasitic capacitors can be absorbed in the

matching network!
Bhaskar Banerjee, EERF 6330, Sp2013, UTD

31

 -Matching
L1

L2

C1

C2

R2

RINT
R1
Combine
C2S
RINT

Qlef t =

!0 L1
=
RIN T

R1
RIN T

QN W =

Qright =

!0 (L1 + L2 )
=
RIN T

R2
RIN T

1+

R2
RIN T

1=

R1
RIN T

!0 L2
RIN T

R2 -> RINT (Intermediate Resistance) -> R1

Additional degree of freedom: Q can be tuned!
Bhaskar Banerjee, EERF 6330, Sp2013, UTD

32

 -Matching
If the required Q of the network is known: RINT can be calculated.
r
r
R2
R1
QN W =
1+
1
RIN T
RIN T
Use a graphing calculator or iteration to find RINT.
For iteration a good starting point is:

RIN T

( R1 + R 2 ) 2

Q2

Once RINT is known rest can be easily calculated.

RIN T

QRIN T
: L1 + L2 =
!0

C1 =

Qlef t
! 0 R1

C2 =

Qright
! 0 R2

Bhaskar Banerjee, EERF 6330, Sp2013, UTD

33

T-Network
L1

L2
C

R1

R2

L1

L2

C1

R1

C2

RINT

R2

Similar to the Network, provides another degree of freedom.

Useful when the source/termination parasitics are inductive so that can be absorbed
into the network.
Bhaskar Banerjee, EERF 6330, Sp2013, UTD

34

T-Network
L1

L2

C1

R1

C2

RINT

Q = !0 RIN T (C1 + C2 ) =

R2

RIN T
R1

1+

RIN T
R2

Iterate to find RINT.

C1 + C2 =

Q
!0 RIN T

L1 =

Qlef t R1
!0

L2 =

Qlef t R2
!0

Bhaskar Banerjee, EERF 6330, Sp2013, UTD

35

Tapped Capacitor/Inductor Resonator

L1

C1
L
R1

C
R1

C2

L2
R2

R2

C1

L1

C2

L2
R2

R1

Can be solved in much the similar way.

Bhaskar Banerjee, EERF 6330, Sp2013, UTD

36

Example
Frequency: 1 GHz, R1 = 50 , R2 = 5 , BW = 25 MHz.
-match:
L
BW = 2 25 106 Hz and !0 = 2 109 rad/s

C1

C2

Q=

!0
= 40
BW

R2

R1

RIN T

p
p
( R1 + R 2 ) 2

0.054
Q2

C1 =

Qlef t
305 pF
! 0 R1

C2 =

Qright
96.8 pF
! 0 R2

L=

QRIN T
0.344 nH
!0

Bhaskar Banerjee, EERF 6330, Sp2013, UTD

37