Silicon-Based RF Front-Ends fo

Ultra-wideband (UWB) technology enables high data-rate short-range communication,

in excess of hundred megabit-per-seconds and up to multi-gigabit-per-seconds,

over a wide spectrum of frequencies, while keeping power consumption at low levels.

This low power operation results in a less-interfering co-existence with other

existed communication technologies (e.g., UNII bands).

In addition to carrying a huge amount of data over a distance of up to 230 feet

at very low power (less than 0.5mW), the UWB signal has the ability to penetrate

through the doors and other obstacles that tend to reflect signals at more limited

bandwidths and higher power densities.

The key attributes of UWB technology, therefore, include; high data rates,

ranging and communication applications, low equipment cost, and immunity to

the multipath fading. These features have motivated the researchers to investigate

performance-optimized integrated circuit (IC) solutions for UWB technology.

To best utilize the entire UWB spectrumspecified by the FCC from 3.1GHz up to

10.6 GHz, the constituent transceiver should operate across this wide spectral band.

On the other hand, designing RF front-end circuits, particularly in CMOS technology,

for UWB transceivers entails stringent challenges associated with wideband

requirements. In fact, the RF front-end has to exhibit wideband RF characteristics

of gain, noise figure, and linearity, as well as low power consumption. The scope of

this book includes design and analysis of novel wideband RF front-ends for UWB

transceivers in silicon technologies. A great deal of emphasis will be made on the

exploration of new performance-optimized distributed integrated circuit topologies

for UWB wireless radios.