Wireless Distribution System Eliminates Dispersion In Clock Networks
AS SYSTEM OPERATING frequency and projected die size increase, it has become more difficult to distribute clock signals across a chip. The resulting problems include larger R-C delays, tighter skew and jitter tolerance, and signal dispersion along metal interconnect paths. To reduce skew and the impact of dispersion, a compact, wireless clock distribution system with an external planar antenna has been proposed by Maxim´s Ran Li, Silicon Laboratories´ Xiaoling Guo, RF MicroDevices´ Dong-Jun Yang, and Kenneth K. O from the University of Florida.
This system has been shown to provide phase and amplitude distributions suitable for synchronizing circuits over a 35-mm diameter circular area at 3 GHz. The system comprises a transmitter and an off-chip antenna and multiple clock receivers with on-chip antennas distributed over an integrated circuit (IC) or multiple ICs. The transmitter, which was fabricated in a 130-nm CMOS process, generates a 17-GHz clock signal. See "Wireless Clock Distribution System Using an External Antenna," IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits, Oct. 2007, p. 2283.
About the Author
Nancy Friedrich
RF Product Marketing Manager for Aerospace Defense, Keysight Technologies
Nancy Friedrich is RF Product Marketing Manager for Aerospace Defense at Keysight Technologies. Nancy Friedrich started a career in engineering media about two decades ago with a stint editing copy and writing news for Electronic Design. A few years later, she began writing full time as technology editor at Wireless Systems Design. In 2005, Nancy was named editor-in-chief of Microwaves & RF, a position she held (along with other positions as group content head) until 2018. Nancy then moved to a position at UBM, where she was editor-in-chief of Design News and content director for tradeshows including DesignCon, ESC, and the Smart Manufacturing shows.