US 10,473,587 B2 · On-chip, wideband, differentially fed antennas with integrated bias structures

Abstract

Terahertz (THz) or millimeter wave (mmW) band characterization of a differential-mode device under test (DUT) is performed using a non-contact probing setup based on an integrated circuit that includes the on-chip DUT and an on-chip test fixture as follows. A differential transmission line pair is operatively coupled with the DUT. A first differential antenna pair at a first end of the transmission line pair has a first antenna connected only with the first transmission line and a second antenna connected only with the second transmission line. A second differential antenna pair is likewise connected with a second end of the differential transmission line pair. A THz or mmW transmitter radiates a probe THz or mmW beam to the first differential antenna pair, and an electronic analyzer receives a THz or mmW signal radiated by the second differential antenna pair responsive to the radiation of the probe THz or mmW beam to the first differential antenna pair, thus enabling no-contact S-parameter measurements for characterizing differential-mode, on-wafer, active or passive devices and integrated circuits.

Claims17

Dependent claims

An apparatus for performing terahertz (THz) or millimeter wave (mmW) characterization, the apparatus comprising:

an integrated circuit including an on-chip device under test (DUT) and an on-chip test fixture including:
a differential transmission line pair comprising parallel first and second transmission lines operatively coupled with the DUT wherein the first transmission line comprises two conductors and the second transmission line comprises two conductors;
a first differential antenna pair connected with a first end of the differential transmission line pair and including a first antenna connected only with the first transmission line and a second antenna connected only with the second transmission line;
and
a second differential antenna pair connected with a second end of the differential transmission line pair and including a third antenna connected only with the first transmission line and a fourth antenna connected only with the second transmission line;
a THz or mmW transmitter arranged to radiate a probe THz or mmW beam to the first differential antenna pair of the test fixture;
and
an electronic analyzer configured to receive a THz or mmW signal radiated by the second differential antenna pair of the test fixture responsive to the radiation of the probe THz or mmW beam to the first differential antenna pair of the test fixture.

5 more elements

A method for performing terahertz (THz) or millimeter wave (mmW) characterization of a device under test (DUT) comprising a component of an integrated circuit wherein the DUT is connected with an on-chip differential transmission line pair comprising parallel first and second transmission lines wherein the first transmission line comprises two conductors and the second transmission line comprises two conductors, the method comprising:

exciting the DUT in differential mode by radiating a probe THz or mmW beam to a first on-chip differential antenna pair of the integrated circuit wherein the first on-chip differential antenna pair is connected with a first end of the on-chip differential transmission line pair and comprises a common mode-suppressing balun;
and
receiving a THz or mmW differential signal generated by the DUT in response to the exciting wherein the THz or mmW signal is received via radiation by a second on-chip differential antenna pair of the integrated circuit wherein the second on-chip differential antenna pair is connected with a second end of the on-chip differential transmission line pair and comprises a common mode-suppressing balun;
wherein the excitation produces a first electric current in the first transmission line of the on-chip differential transmission line pair and a second electric current in the second transmission line of the on-chip differential transmission line pair having a 180° phase difference compared with the first electric current.

1 more element

An integrated circuit comprising:

an on-chip device under test (DUT);
and
on-chip differential-mode non-contact probes including:
a differential transmission line pair comprising parallel first and second transmission lines operatively coupled with the DUT;
a first differential antenna pair connected with a first end of the differential transmission line pair and including a first antenna having a port connected only with the first transmission line and a second antenna having a port connected only with the second transmission line;
and
a second differential antenna pair connected with a second end of the differential transmission line pair and including a third antenna having a port connected only with the first transmission line and a fourth antenna having a port connected only with the second transmission line wherein the first differential antenna pair is configured to energize the first end of the differential transmission line pair in response to received THz or mmW radiation by the first antenna producing a first electric current in the first transmission line of the differential transmission line pair and the second antenna producing a second electric current in the second transmission line of the differential transmission line pair, wherein the first electric current and the second electric current have a 180° phase difference.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

On-chip, wideband, differentially fed antennas with integrated bias structures

Life of this patent

On-chip, wideband, differentially fed antennas with integrated bias structures

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims17