The document discusses the design of an integrated RFIC front end for 77GHz automotive radar systems. It describes how 77GHz radar can enable smaller, lighter sensors for applications like autonomous driving while providing better range and angular resolution than lower-frequency systems. The RFIC integrates all necessary blocks, including power amplifiers, low-noise amplifiers, voltage-controlled oscillators, mixers, and frequency doublers on a single chip smaller than 1.2x2.4mm. It also explains the operating principles of FMCW radar for range and velocity detection using signal processing techniques like FFT on the received signal's beat frequency.

1. Integrated RFIC Front End
Architecture for 77-GHz Car Radar
G. S. Javed, Ph.D.
9 – Jan - 2019
@ConsultantsKing

2. Outline
• Automotive Radars
– 24 GHz vs 77GHz
– FMCW Radar Principle
• Integrated RFIC Transceiver
• Individual Block Units
– PA, LNA, VCO, Mixer
– Matching Network, LO Distribution, Frequency
Doublers
RFIC Front End for 77GHz Car Radar | Dr
G S Javed
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3. Automotive RADARs
Functionalities:
•Autonomous cruise control (ACC)
•ACC support with Stop&Go functionality
•Pre-crash sensing
•Collision mitigation and avoidance
•Parking aid (forward and reverse)
•Lane change assistant
•Rear crash collision warning
Goals:
Simultaneous measurement of obstacle range,
radial velocity and angle
Saponara, Greco, Tutorial, 2012 IEEE Radar Conference
RFIC Front End for 77GHz Car Radar | Dr
G S Javed
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4. Automotive RADAR – 24 vs. 77 GHz
77 GHz is more challenging for designers: given the same technology
node performance (gain, NF, ..) at 24 GHz are better but 77 GHz RADAR
reduce size, volume, weight and hence cost
77 GHz offers more opportunity for high performance RADAR design:
λ is 3 times smaller (few mm)  smaller antenna size for a given beam-
width spec and/or better angular separability for the same size
Combination of high transmit power and high bandwidth available at 77
GHz for long range operation and fine distance separability
Due to SiGe and CMOS technologies evolution 77 GHz is affordable
77-81 GHz (under regulation worldwide) offers 4 GHz Bandwidth with
EIRP max PSD of - 3dBm/MHz (-9 dBm/MHz outside the vehicle)
Saponara, Greco, Tutorial, 2012 IEEE Radar Conference
RFIC Front End for 77GHz Car Radar | Dr
G S Javed
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5. Automotive RADAR – Technical spec
(J. Hasch et al., IEEE
Tran. Micr Theory Tech, 2012)
Saponara, Greco, Tutorial, 2012 IEEE Radar Conference
RFIC Front End for 77GHz Car Radar | Dr
G S Javed
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6. FMCW Automotive RADAR principle
Received signal at the ADC
Quartz
Osc
Phase
det.
fref
Loop
filter
VCO
PA
77 GHz
Freq. divider
X
LO
LNA
RF
ampADC
FFT &
logic
Modulation
control (B, Tm)
Interface
UserI/O
fbeat
f
t
fbeat TOF
f
t
R
TOF=2R/c
f
t
TX RX
DSP
Target
Saponara, Greco, Tutorial, 2012 IEEE Radar Conference
RFIC Front End for 77GHz Car Radar | Dr
G S Javed
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7. FMCW Automotive RADAR equations
43
2
)4( R
GGP
P rtt
r



FFT
r
BWNFTK
P
SNR



r
d
v
f


2
2
)(
2



ff
B
cT
R
cpi
2
)(
2





ff
f
c
v
c
R
Receiver power and SNR (min 10 dB required)
Range and relative speed detection from batiment frequency analysis
(with FFT in digital domain)
The FMCW sweep frequency B and the time sweep determine the
achievable range resolution and speed resolution
Saponara, Greco, Tutorial, 2012 IEEE Radar Conference
RFIC Front End for 77GHz Car Radar | Dr
G S Javed
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8. Source: Fujitsu Laboratories
Integrated RFIC Transceiver – 77GHz
RFIC Front End for 77GHz Car Radar | Dr
G S Javed
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9. Source: Fujitsu Laboratories
1.2 x 2.4 mm
Date: 12 February, 2009
RFIC Front End for 77GHz Car Radar | Dr
G S Javed
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10. INDIVIDUAL BLOCK UNITS
RFIC Front End for 77GHz Car Radar | Dr
G S Javed
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11. Power Amplifier
• Transformer – based
• Power Combiner
T.Y.Chang, CICC 2010, DOI:10.1109/CICC.2010.5617399RFIC Front End for 77GHz Car Radar | Dr
G S Javed
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12. Matching Networks
Inter Stage Matching
Output Matching
T.Y.Chang, CICC 2010, DOI:10.1109/CICC.2010.5617399RFIC Front End for 77GHz Car Radar | Dr
G S Javed
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13. Passive Mixers
A-77-GHz-Frequency-Doubling-Two-Path-Phased-Array, JSSC 2016RFIC Front End for 77GHz Car Radar | Dr
G S Javed
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14. VCO
A-77-GHz-Frequency-Doubling-Two-Path-Phased-Array, JSSC 2016RFIC Front End for 77GHz Car Radar | Dr
G S Javed
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15. Injection Locked Frequency Doubler
A-77-GHz-Frequency-Doubling-Two-Path-Phased-Array, JSSC 2016RFIC Front End for 77GHz Car Radar | Dr
G S Javed
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16. LO Distribution Network
A-77-GHz-Frequency-Doubling-Two-Path-Phased-Array, JSSC 2016RFIC Front End for 77GHz Car Radar | Dr
G S Javed
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17. LNA
A-77-GHz-Frequency-Doubling-Two-Path-Phased-Array, JSSC 2016RFIC Front End for 77GHz Car Radar | Dr
G S Javed
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18. RFIC Front End for 77GHz Car Radar | Dr
G S Javed
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19. Contact:
javedg@alum.iisc.ac.in,
gsjaved@ieee.org
Professional:
Senior Member Technical Staff – Circuit Design
Terminus Circuits Pvt Ltd
Founder, King Consulting and Innovation Labs
Co-curricular:
Chief Coordinator, IISc Outreach Program,
IEEE-IISc SB
President, EntIISc
facebook.com/Javed.GS.Photography
RFIC Front End for 77GHz Car Radar | Dr G S Javed
IISc Outreach
Program
Javed G.S.
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