SUCCESS consortium demonstrates mm-wave radar sensor

The SUCCESS (Silicon-based Ultra-Compact Cost-Efficient System Design for mmWaveSensors) consortium has implemented the first prototype of a fully integrated 122 GHz radar sensor. It includes a mixed-signal SiGe chip and two antennas for transmitting and receiving. The prototype is a breakthrough towards a miniaturized, low-cost, and high-resolution millimeter-wave sensor for distance and speed measurements. The sensor is based on a mixed signal chip fabricated in a 130 nm SiGe BiCMOS technology from IHP. The homodyne transceiver, designed by IHP and Silicon Radar, includes a 120 GHz VCO (voltage-controlled oscillator), several amplifiers, an IQ mixer, and filters. Additional circuits allow built-in self testing, such as power detectors and a frequency measurement unit. Parts of the transceiver operate under digital control using an SPI interface. The chip is packaged in a new technology developed by KIT (the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology), Robert Bosch, Selmic, and Hightec. The package is fabricated using low-temperature co-fired ceramic technology by Selmic. KIT designed the transmitting and receiving antennas integrated into the package. With integrated antennas, the only connections to the package are for DC and baseband signals. The antennas are fabricated on a thin, flexible polyimide material using HiCoFlex technology from Hightec. The metallic ground plane of the ceramic housing acts as a reflector for the antenna and causes the desired radiation direction upwards (perpendicular to the printed circuit board). The packaged solderable sensor measures 8 x 8 mm. A test board, fabricated by Robert Bosch, demonstrates the functionality of the packaged sensor allowing measurement of a Doppler signal when detecting a moving object. The nine -partner consortium of research centres, universities, and companies from six countries—Germany, France, Finland, Switzerland, Poland, and Canada—has been financed by the 7th Framework Programme of the European Commission with a budget of over €4.5m for the next three years. The partners are IHP, Robert Bosch, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Silicon Radar, ST Microelectronics, SELMIC, Hightec, Evatronix, and the University of Toronto. Prof. Thomas Zwick from KIT who initiated the project, together with Prof. Christoph Scheytt from IHP says: "This revolutionary technology of a miniaturised, low cost and SMD-solderable distance sensor will bring a broad range of new functionalities to consumer products and industrial applications." It is expected that low cost and miniaturisation of mm-wave sensor systems will enable a great variety of distance sensing applications such as industrial sensing (distance, speed, material characterisation), public and private safety (motion detectors, even behind wall paper), automotive (wheel suspension measurement, pedestrian safety), and the replacement of cheap ultra-sonic sensors (for distance measurement). Silicon technology has made tremendous progress towards ever-higher device cut?off frequencies. Nowadays silicon RF components extend to 120 GHz. Monolithic integration of the digital baseband processor, data converters, and mm-Wave circuitry on the same chip enables the fabrication of complete mm-wave sensor electronics at cost of well below €1. Furthermore, mm-wavelength radio waves result in mm-size antennas that can integrate in the chip package. Hence complete miniaturized mm-Wave sensor systems yield to a System-in-Package approach. Success Karlsruher Institute fur Technology Robert Bosch Selmic Hightec