delivering on the promises of 5g - soi industry...

Delivering on the Promises of 5GSOI RF Semiconductor Solutions for the Next Wave of Data

Peter A. Rabbeni | Sr. Director, Business Development & Product Line Marketing, RF Business Unit

5G Requirements Will Drive Diverse Use Cases and Application Requirements

© 2017 GLOBALFOUNDRIES Inc.

High Security

Ultra-High ReliabilityUltra-Low

Cost

Ultra-Low Energy

Deep Coverage

Robust Mobility

Ultra-Low Latency

Ultra-High Capacity

Deep Awareness

Extreme Broadband

Ultra-Reliable, Mission-Critical

Applications

Wide-Area and IOT Applications

Ultra-Mobile Broadband

Applications

*Adapted from Qualcomm 5G presentation

Millimeter Wave Operation is a Key Component to Delivering on the Promises of 5G

5G will enable ubiquitous connectivity:

• Pervasive video

• Tactile internet

• E-Health

• IoT and sensor networks

• Broadcast services

• Automated vehicles

• Mission-critical communications


Source: “Bracing for 5G”, Pipeline, February 2015Source: “5G Vision”, Samsung White Paper, February 2015

Phased-array Systems Will Be Required to Enable 5G Millimeter Wave Operation

© 2017 GLOBALFOUNDRIES Inc.Source: Mitsubishi Electric

mmWave provides excellent spatial selectivity/separation and when combined with massive MIMO operation can deliver very high cell edge data rates to individual users

Why RF SOI?

Device stacking:

• Overcomes silicon Johnson Limit

• Improved efficiency vs. power combining

Substrate benefits for RF:

• Reduced parasitics → higher Q, lower loss and better noise figure

• Increased isolation / linearity

Low cost: Better economics than III-V

Logic and control integration: More flexible architectures

Mainstream silicon manufacturing: Readily available capacitySource: FDSOI and RFSOI Forum – February 27, 2015


Pmax & NF Performance Enable Cost-Efficient Phased Array Systems

Higher Pmax and lower NF per element enable:

• Reduced antenna gain requirement to achieve desired equivalent EIRP

• Smaller number of elements in array fewer chips

• Lower power consumption / increased power added efficiency of array


What does this mean?

Fewer chips per array, smaller array LOWER COST

2 1 ∝ 1/

1 , ∝ ,

λ/2

λ/2

• FET is electrically isolated from substrate (floating) vs. CMOS where substrate is a common node

• Stacking overcomes low breakdown voltage of advanced node CMOS:

– Power supply can be N x BVds, where N is # of stacked FETs and BVds = breakdown of a single FET

• Circuits can operate at higher voltage and power handling

• Provides significant benefit to front end circuits (PA, LNA, switch)

Transistor Stacking Advantages in RF SOI


RF signal

Load

T1 T2 T3 T4

V=10 7.5 5.0 2.5

In bulk CMOS, T1 would have 10V across drain-to-body junction.

In SOI, body floats to limit the junction voltage.

GF is 5G-Ready: 45RFSOI and 22FDX® Have Been Introduced to Address the Performance Challenges of 5G

GLOBALFOUNDRIES Announces Availability of 45nm RF SOI to Advance 5G Mobile Communications

GLOBALFOUNDRIES announced the availability of its 45nm RF SOI (45RFSOI) technology offering, making GF the first foundry to announce an advanced, 300mm RF silicon solution to support next generation millimeter-wave (mmWave) beam forming applications in future 5G base stations and smartphones.

GF’s 45RFSOI offering is the company’s most advanced RF SOI technology. The technology is optimized for beam forming front-end modules (FEMs), with back-end-of-line (BEOL) features including thick copper and dielectrics that enable improved RF performance for LNAs, switches and power amplifiers. The intrinsic characteristics of SOI combined with RF-centric features enable next-generation RF and mmWave applications, including internet broadband low earth orbit (LEO) satellites and 5G FEMs.…

February 21, 2017


GLOBALFOUNDRIES Launches Industry’s First 22nm FD-SOI Technology Platform

GLOBALFOUNDRIES today launched a new semiconductor technology developed specifically to meet the ultra-low-power requirements of the next generation of connected devices. The “22FDX” platform delivers FinFET-like performance and energy-efficiency at a cost comparable to 28nm planar technologies, providing an optimal solution for the rapidly evolving mainstream mobile, Internet-of-Things (IoT), RF connectivity and networking markets.

…the radio frequency analog offering delivers 50 percent lower power at reduced system cost to meet the stringent requirements of high-volume RF applications such as LTE-A cellular transceivers, high order MIMO WiFi combo chips, and millimeter wave radar. The RF active device back-gate feature can reduce or eliminate complex compensation circuits in the primary RF signal path, allowing RF designers to extract more of the intrinsic device Ft performance.

July 13, 2015

Source: https://www.globalfoundries.com/news-events/press-releases/globalfoundries-announces-availability-45nm-rf-soi-advance-5g-mobileSource: https://www.globalfoundries.com/news-events/press-releases/globalfoundries-launches-industrys-first-22nm-fd-soi-technology-platform

5G mmWave Handset 45RFSOI FEM-Centric Architecture


High efficiency FEM in 45RFSOI, low power Tx & ADC/DAC in advanced CMOS

Antenna Subsystem

mmWave Radio Interface

Application

Processor

Modem / Digital Phase

Splitter / Power

Combiner

RF Up/Down

Conversion

LNA

PA

SPDT

LNA

PA

SPDT

RF Up/Down

Conversion

ADC DAC

Broadside & End-Fire Antenna

IF Up/Down

Conversion

IF Up/Down

ConversionADC DAC

FEM + RF Transceiver (Analog Intensive)

IF Transceiver & ADC(Digital Intensive)

Hi Speed

I/O

Hi Speed

I/O

<6GHz Radio Interface Digital Interface

Co-located (<< ~10 cmλ/2)

λ/2

Baseband & App Processor

45RFSOI Advanced CMOS (14/7 nm) Advanced CMOS (14/7 nm)

• High Pout for end-fire antenna elements; low power consumption

• Use of RF/IF interface allows flexible placement of phased array antenna and FEM components and allows more manageable frequency to be routed for baseband processing

Source: “Practical MMWave 5G Solutions”, J. Jensen, CICC 2017

5G mmWave Handset 22FDX Integration-Centric Architecture


Highly integrated, low power FEM + Tx & ADC/DAC in 22FDX, BB/AP in advanced CMOS

Antenna Subsystem

mmWave Radio Interface

Application

Processor

Modem / Digital Phase

Splitter / Power

Combiner

RF Up/Down Conversion

LNA

PA

SPDT

LNA

PA

SPDT RF Up/Down Conversion

ADC DAC

Broadside & End-Fire Antenna

ADC DAC

FEM + RF Transceiver + IF/ADC (Analog Intensive)

Hi Speed

I/O

Hi Speed

I/O

Digital Interface

Co-located (<< λ/2)

λ/2

Baseband & App Processor

22FDX (Pmax/beam < 20dBm) Advanced CMOS (14/7 nm)

• Lowest power consumption

• Smallest system footprint achieving high levels of integration

• Up to 20 dBm Psat / PA array element

Digital / Baseband Beam Forming

45RFSOI for Future-Ready 5G RF Front-End Modules

• High ft/fmax (305 GHz /380 GHz) for mmWave applications

• Thick BOX allows for excellent isolation

• High-speed CMOS w/ lower junction capacitance for good linearity in switch applications

• Low-loss BEOL provides ability to extract the best device performance and efficiency

• Engagement across multiple market segments

– 5G infrastructure, UE (mmWave)

– 5G infrastructure <6 GHz

– Sat com phased array terminal

– E-band fronthaul / backhaul

– Photonics

45RFSOI is an excellent solution for mmWave beamforming FEM,Over 15 Tier 1 customers engaged in prototype and product development!!


45RFSOI Phased Array Product Wafer

Initial 45RFSOI mmWave Product Already Introduced into Market

45RFSOI BEOL Is Optimized to Provide Benefits for Millimeter Wave Operation


Increased ‘d’ to substrate reduces parasitics / coupling

1 High resistivity trap rich substrate:– Improves back-end-of-line (BEOL) losses due

to parasitics (>2X reduction in TL IL per mm @ 28 GHz)

– Reduces harmonics due to trap rich substrate for improved linearity

Option 811LM

Option 188LM1

AL

Cu

Cu

AL

Cu

Cu

Cu

d

2 Raised thick Cu levels:– High Q inductors and transformers

– Low loss transmission lines

– High Q MIMs; high density MIMs or APMOMs

– Dual thick Cu levels provide design flexibility

BEOL IL comparison with different substrates

> 2X reduction in insertion loss

45RFSOI RF Pathfinding: 24GHz 45RFSOI mmwave PA• Triple stack Vdd=2.9V

• Psat = 16.2 dBm

• P1dB = 14.2 dBm

• PAE max= 41.5%

• Pass 15dBm VSWR=5.9:1 ruggedness test

160Msym/s (960Mb/s) 64-QAM modulation at 24GHz

(C.J. Li, WMCS, 2017, Measured in Georgia Tech GEMS Lab)


45RFSOI RF Pathfinding: 28GHz 45RFSOI LNA

60 µm

60 µm

Vin

Vout

80 fF

1.3 kΩ 380 pH

125 pH

720 pH

VDD

8 mA

VBias2

VBias1

• Gain = 9dB

• NF = 2.5dB

• IP1dB = -4dBm

• Vdd= 1.5V

Pdc = 14mW

Low NF enabled by• High ft in 45nm SOI • Optimized layout; low Rg with double

connected gates• High resistivity substrate

• improves inductor Q and lowers noise contribution from matching network

• 0.4dB LNA NF improvement

• A 42mW 26-28GHz Phased-Array Receive Channel with 13dB Gain, 3.5dB NF and 0dBm IIP3 in 45nm CMOS SOI, Umut Kodak and Gabriel Rebeiz, UCSD [RFIC 2017]


45RFSOI RF Pathfinding: 28 GHz mmWave Differential PA

• Differential topology to achieve higher output power and maintain high PAE

• High efficiency input/output transformers used to achieve PA Pout and PAE; enabled by optimized BEOL

• Dual thick metal and high resistivity substrate for lower loss


Cu

Cu

Al

Parameter Value Unit Note

Psat 15.0, min* dBmPout for 3dB gain

drop

Power Gain 10.5 dB Pin=-15dBm

PAE_P1dB 34% % Pin=P1dB_in

28GHz Differential PA Performance (simulated)

* Further data provided under NDA

45RFSOI RF Pathfinding: 28GHz SPDT Switch


Stack #

IL @ 28/50 GHz (dB) W/Open

Iso @ 28/50 GHz (dB) W/Open

IP1dB (dBm)

at 14 GHzIIP3 (dBm) at 14 GHz

3 0.76/1.17 23.91/17.06 30 49.5

4 0.91/1.18 24.14/17.94 32 48.7

5 0.98/1.13 24.81/19.16 33 48.4

• RonCoff ~90 fS

• 28 GHz SPDT 3 stack

– IL 0.76 dB

– Iso: 23 dB

– Pmax: 23 dBm

– One tone IIP3 49.5 dBm

• HR substrate provides improved parasiticsover bulk

Measured Ron versus Frequency

Measured SPDT IL versus Frequency

Highest FmaxHighest

mmWave self gain

Lowest mmWave

noise

“mmWave FET stacking“

enables single chip mmWave integration

What makes 22FDX® the best mmWave SOC technology?


20% > 28HPC+ 2.5x > 28HPC+ NFmin < 28HPC+ Single stage PA Pout >> 28HPC+ ormuch smaller die area for same EIRP

Low Power High Density Logic Integration (FBB/RBB)

High Efficiency Stacking: Most Differentiated Feature of 22FDX®

Why is stacking needed? To integrate high power PA and switches

High Pout = large Vout and Iout

Vout > Vbdss

Bulk CMOS

28nm Bulk CMOS

Large non linear capacitanceCoupling to lossy substrate

Huge sub losses = low PAE,Non linear PA

Low PAE = power hungry

Power hungry = HOT PA

HOT PA = short life

HOT PA = only operate at low T

Ultra-thin Buried Oxide Insulator

Fully Isolated Fet

22FDX mmWave stacked device

Tiny non linear capacitanceCoupling to low loss substrate

High Pout w high PAE, low power, good performance at high Temp, long life

High Pout = large Vout and Iout

Vds < Vbdss

Need high Self Gain!© 2017 GLOBALFOUNDRIES Inc.

22FDX® RF Pathfinding: Single-ended 5G 28 GHz PA

Parameter Value Unit Note

Psat 15, min* dBm Pout for 3dB gain drop

P1dB_out 15, min* dBm Output referred

Power Gain 14.2 dB Pin=-15dBm

PAE_P1dB 36.5 % Pin=P1dB_in

PAE_P1dB-6 17.7 % PAE at 6dB back off

IM3 -30.0 dBcTwo tones 200MHz apart, Pin=P1dB_in-12


28GHz Single-ended PA Performance (simulated)

*Further data provided under NDA

22FDX® RF Pathfinding: 5G 28GHz SPST Switch

Freq. 28G 40GHz

S21 (dB) -0.85 -1.15

S11 (dB) -13 -11

IIP3 (dBm) (2 tones with Pin=10dBm) 45 44

• Stacked switch architecture with power handling up to 23dBm

• Estimated S21 for stacked switch in 28nm: -3.5dB


GF’s Optimized Technology Portfolio EnablesEnd-to-End 5G Solutions


DATA CENTERS

Compute / CloudsCompute / CloudsWired / WirelessWired / Wireless

CLIENTS

AutomotiveAutomotiveIoTIoTMobileMobile

Advanced Packaging & Test

Ongoing Collaboration, Innovation & Investments

HV CMOS & BCD Technologies

FD-SOI & RF CMOS FinFET & ASIC services

SiGe & Silicon PhotonicsRF SOI & SiGe

Wired / WirelessWired / Wireless

NETWORKS

The information contained herein is the property of GLOBALFOUNDRIES and/or its licensors.

This document is for informational purposes only, is current only as of the date of publication and is subject to change by GLOBALFOUNDRIES at any time without notice.

GLOBALFOUNDRIES, the GLOBALFOUNDRIES logo and combinations thereof are trademarks of GLOBALFOUNDRIES Inc. in the United States and/or other jurisdictions. Other product or service names are for identification purposes only and may be trademarks or service marks of their respective owners.

© GLOBALFOUNDRIES Inc. 2017. Unless otherwise indicated, all rights reserved. Do not copy or redistribute except as expresslypermitted by GLOBALFOUNDRIES.

Thank youPeter Rabbeni | Sr. Director – RF Business Unit

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