With the increasing growth of more power-sensitive wireless communication devices, the development of RFIC has increased. These days, ICs are densely populated with highly integrated RF components. Therefore, ICs have replaced hybrid circuits that integrated discrete semiconductor devices.
RF IC refers to a radio frequency integrated circuit. This type of integrated circuit is commonly used in applications that cover up the wireless space. These applications range from wireless LANs to cellular networks.
What is a Radio Frequency Integrated Circuit?
A radio frequency integrated circuit (RF iC) is a chip that sends and receives radio waves. RF IC is commonly found in cellphones, wireless base stations, and Wi-Fi devices. Also, RF IC might be applicable to electrical integrated circuits that operate in a range of frequency ideal for wireless transmission.
The frequency range of a radio frequency integrated circuit usually ranges between 30 KHz and 300 GHz. This is ideal for wireless transmission. Integrating traditional radio frequency devices on ICs can lead to some issues. These problems include active and passive devices on ICs and noise considerations.
It is crucial that wireless engineers must have the required expertise in the simulation, layout, and design of wireless communication RFICs. This expertise involves the use of powerful RF/microwave CAD tool suites like Cadence’s Virtuoso and Agilent EEsof’s ADS.
Also, an RF IC refers to a compact electronic circuit that integrates active devices for in RF range. Furthermore, RF ICs comprise demodulators, low & high-power amplifiers, and modulators. Modulators help to alter an RF carrier when used in transmitter. It alters this carrier to combine the information in a feature of the carrier. Amplifiers help to enhance the power or voltage level of radio frequency signals.
Demodulators get information from already existing modulated carriers. An IC is a microchip commonly used in computers, electronics, and digital devices. The RF IC integrates several semiconductors in a small package to execute functions in gadgets like cell phones.
Considerations for RF IC Design
RF IC design is a custom process that is usually aided by some EDA tools. one of the crucial things about RF IC design is that the packaging characteristics affect the performance of RF circuits. As a result, RF IC design is a process that involves the integration of package modeling, EM simulation, and parasitic modeling throughout the entire design process.
System budget parameters
As regards “system budget” RF IC designs have some constraints and performance requirements for crucial parameters like harmonics, power, linearity, phase noise, etc. The system-level design team determines the budgeting. Also, the system-level design team passes on the performance requirements and budget constraints to RF designers handling every block in the system diagram.
Furthermore, these blocks are divided into circuits and topologies that pass through a process of optimization, simulation, and design.
EM simulation
The physical layout stage of the RF IC design often incorporates several parasitic extraction, circuit simulation, and EM simulation that involve at least an IC package. However, they may also consider the external circuits and PCB of a device. This is because RF circuits can have some dramatic performance changes as a result of electromagnetic signals, external circuits, and some environmental factors.
IC design constraints
The fondry constrained some on-chip passives like capacitors and inductors. Therefore, RF IC designers usually have restricted control of the values and sizing of these components. This results in more uncertainty in design and as well as the need to test new components.
In some scenarios, RF designers may need additional modeling of bond wires not related to the foundry. Also, this will help designers to predict performance and parasitic in end-assembly precisely. The majority of RF ICs is usually supplied as bare die and is directly wire-bonded in a pallet.
Benefits of Radio Frequency Integrated Circuits
An RF IC integrates miniaturized components in a common package. Therefore, there is little coupling between stages due to electrostatic proximity or long wires between active nodes. Also, the closeness between a circuit’s active nodes causes capacitance.
Modern RF IC provides the best performance features like good signal performance and low consumption of power. RF devices that were initially designed experience high power consumption problems which resulted in less talk times and standby for portable communication devices.
RF ICs’ consumption of low power resulted in better battery-operated talk time performance. Also, the RF IC offered enhanced signal quality as regards lower noise levels and less distortion.
Intermediate-frequency (IF) Direct Conversion
One of the most recent applications of RF ICs is the creation of intermediate-frequency (IF) direct conversion technology. Also, IF direct conversion technology involves the conversion of RF signals to baseband signals. The Direct2Data (D2D) technology by Parker Vision is a noticeable application.
For instance, the PV-1000Hb designed by Parker Vision is a single-chip RF-transceiver IC specially integrated in 802.11 applications. There are other RF IC vendors that offer zero IF chip sets of various performance levels.
The increasing demand for different wireless networks from telecom camps and datacom has resulted in more demand for multiple protocol standards radios. Therefore, this requires radio frequency ICs that are interference resistant. For example, a device that operates IEEE 802.11b WLAN and Bluetooth WPAN radios simultaneously.
Also, there is a great chance of data collisions since these technologies function in the 2.4 GHz unlicensed band. Many manufacturers developed have designed RF IC chip sets that enable such protocols to work together in various degrees of simultaneous operation.
Furthermore, radio frequency ICs are a major component of any cellular phone. Also, many radio frequency IC vendors develop RF integrated circuits that offer support to 3G, 4G, and even 5G cellular networks.
RF IC Design Flow
This refers to the workflow an engineer will adhere to when designing an RF IC:
Design specification: This entails constraints, specifications, and test bench development.
System design: It entails behavioral modeling and high level system design
Circuit synthesis: This involves mixed-level partitioning and HDL mixed-level
the Circuit Design: It involves the integration of foundry design kit and a detailed circuit design
Circuit simulation: This entails time and frequency domain
Physical design: This stage involves layout, the extraction and simulation of electromagnetic, and parasitic extraction. Also, it involves layout versus schematics (LVS) and design rules check (DRC).
Conclusion
RF IC provides solutions to many issues in the manufacturing and designing of transmitters, and receivers. The conducting traces or the lengths of wires may limit the integration of separate devices at high RF frequencies. Furthermore, RF ICs utilizes very small components in a package.
