UC San Diego

In this dissertation, high-speed and high-frequency millimeter-wave circuit techniques are introduced for silicon integrated circuit processes. A transimpedance limit for multistage transimpedance amplifiers (TIAs) is derived and applied to a bandwidth enhancement technique using inductive-series [pi] networks. A 40-Gb/s TIA is demonstrated in a 0.13 [mu]m CMOS process and achieves a transimpedance gain of 50 dB[omega] with a 3-dB bandwidth of 29 GHz. A low-power optical front-end is implemented in a 45-nm silicon-on-insulator (SOI) CMOS process. The modulator driver uses floating body devices to generate a voltage swing of more than 2 Volts. The optical receiver exhibits a transimpedance exceeding 55 dB[omega] over 30 GHz and consumes only 9 mW from a 1 V supply. Next, a 160- Gb/s amplifier is realized with stagger-tuned stages that are equalized for high bandwidth and low gain ripple. The staggered response is demonstrated with a Darlington feedback amplifier and a constructive wave amplifier. The broadband amplifier is implemented in a 0.12-[mu]m Silion- Germanium (SiGe) BiCMOS process and achieves a gain of 10 dB and 3-dB bandwidth of 102 GHz. In contrast, a 45-nm SOI CMOS, cascode distributed amplifier exhibits 9-dB gain over a 3-dB bandwidth of 92 GHz. In the second part of this dissertation, millimeter-wave circuit design techniques for wireless communication systems are presented. Constructive wave amplification is shown to amplify forward traveling waves along a single transmission line. A 0.12-[mu]m SiGe BiCMOS constructive wave amplifier achieves more than 37.5-dB gain with a 3-dB bandwidth of 14.6 GHz and, consequently, demonstrates a gain-bandwidth product as high as 1,095 GHz. A Q-band (40̃45 GHz) bidirectional transceiver is demonstrated that eliminates the need for transmit/receive switches with a novel PA/LNA circuit. The transmitter Psat is 9.5 dBm while the receiver noise figure is 4.7 dB. Finally, using the constructive wave amplifier technique, a W-band, bidirectional constructive wave amplifier is demonstrated to allow amplification in one of two directions. The amplifier has a peak gain of 16 dB and tuned between 77 and 94 GHz