The increasing demand for the data rate has made higher mm-wave frequencies favorable due to the larger available bandwidth with future applications such as 6G targeting D-band frequencies (110-170 GHz). The recently released IEEE 802.15.3d covers a frequency range from 252 to 325 GHz, which offers an even larger bandwidth than the previously explored D-band range.
The research aims to explore the use of 16nm FinFET in the design of a transmitter and receiver operating between 250-325 GHz. Deep scaled CMOS processes possesses extra challenges on the design of circuits above 200 GHz, especially as we approach to the fmax of the process. However, it also comes with the unique property of allowing the integration of higher-performance digital circuits compared to 40 and 28nm counterparts. As a first step, the proposed transmitter/receiver aims to achieve 40Gb/s using ASK modulation with non-coherent detection over a short range dielectric waveguide interconnect.