Research Activities
Research of the Chair of High Frequency Electronics is within high speed electronic components, circuits and systems for future communication and remote sensing applications.
The research spans from frequencies below 1 GHz to above 100 GHz with the aim of enhancing the performance, lowering power consumption and cutting the cost of high speed wireless/wire-line communication, sensing systems, interconnects, etc. Particular interests include techniques for improving the electrical efficiency of microwave high power amplifiers and transmitters for wireless infrastructure applications.
To demonstrate innovative microwave components, circuits and systems we employ various technologies spanning from conventional III-V to Silicon VLSI, Graphene MMIC processes and state-of-the-art equipment in our measurement laboratory.
RapidIP – Custom Power Amplifier Design IPs
RapidIP is disrupting the evolution of wireless communication and sensor systems by accelerating the development cycle of the most individual and application-specific component: The Power Amplifier.
High frequency electronics based on Graphene
Graphene is a 2-D material with outstanding electrical and mechanical properties. The reported carrier electron mobility and saturation velocity, together with the ability to large-scale integration on different substrates make graphene a perfect candidate for RF, millimeter-wave, and submillimeter wave circuit applications such as Internet of Things, near-field communications, radio frequency identification device (RFID) tags, flexible electronics, smart wearables, medical, and communications applications.
Novel transmitter architectures for nanoscale CMOS integration
With every new standard for wireless mobile communications, there is a demand for even higher data rates and bandwidth. Within the framework of UMIC, the Mixed-Signal CMOS Circuits group (MSCC) in collaboration with the Chair of Integrated Analog Circuits (IAS) does research on possible architectures for broadband RF transmitters. These have to be power- and cost-efficient while being compatible with digital-centric nanoscale CMOS technologies.
Advanced wireless transmitter architectures for next generation mobile terminals
In order to provide customers with higher data rates, more and better services in a more flexible way, as well as extended coverage the trend in modern wireless communication equipment is to cover multiple communication standards and frequencies with a single piece of hardware. This approach reduces physical size, complexity and, hence, implementation costs for future wireless telecommunication transceivers. As standard linear wireless transmitter architectures are replaced by more advanced topologies, due to their considerably higher efficiency for a given linearity, efficient wide- and multiband power amplifiers (PAs) are key building blocks for the development of future energy-efficient flexible terminals, software defined and cognitive radios. The aim of this project is to investigate these critical RF building blocks.
Virtual RF system modelling in SystemC
In this project we simulate complete mixed-signal systems in SystemC.
High dynamic LINC-like RF transmitters
This pathfinder project aims at studying appropriate techniques of improving at the same time linearity and especially efficiency of linear amplification with Nonlinear Components (LINC) systems for waveforms having a high crest factor. LINC and LINC-like architectures will be analysed and assessed through simulations in regard to their energy efficiency, linearity and multistandard reconfigurability. Based on the outcome of this in-depth study, the best suited approach for wireless handheld terminals shall be identified. If necessary, novel concepts to overcome the limitations of the well-known approaches in handling signals with high peak-to-average-power ratios shall be developed.