Overview >> SiGe Space Synthesizer (SISSI)
| The Objective | The goal of this project is to develop an integrated wideband frequency synthesizer for satellite communications tunable from 8.5 to 11.7 GHz. The main target applications are HDTV and internet-via-satellite services such as DVB-RCS. The fractional-N PLL architecture allows a fine frequency resolution in order to guarantee high flexibility for different applications. The phase noise requirements are very stringent (< -110 dBc/Hz at 1 MHz offset). Moreover, the spurs in the spectrum have to be as small as -70 dBc. The synthesizer must work robustly from -20 to 85 °C. This includes a PLL tuning range compatible with device parameter variations as well as radiation hardness. |
| IHP’s Contribution | IHP is designing the RF circuitry of the PLL including voltage-controlled oscillators (VCO) and high-speed frequency dividers. The top-level chip design will be done at IHP. Finally, the chips will be manufactured in IHP’s 0.25 µm low-cost SiGe BiCMOS technology SGB25VD. |
| Funding | This research is funded by the European Space Agency (ESA) and the German DLR (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt). |
| Project Partners | Kayser-Threde GmbH, IMST GmbH |
| Selected Publications |
[1] S. A. Osmany, F. Herzel, K. Schmalz, and W. Winkler, “Phase Noise and Jitter Modeling for Fractional-N PLLs,” Advances in Radio Science, vol. 5, pp. 313-320, 2007. [2] S. A. Osmany, F. Herzel, J. C. Scheytt, K. Schmalz, and W. Winkler, “An Integrated 19-GHz Low-Phase-Noise Frequency Synthesizer in SiGe BiCMOS Technology,” in Proceedings of the 29th Compound Semiconductor IC (CSIC), Portland, USA, pp. 191-194. [3] R. Follmann, D. Köther, T. Kohl, M. Engels, V. Heyer, K. Schmalz, F. Herzel, W. Winkler, S. Osmany, and U. Jagdhold, “A Low Phase Noise Integrated SiGe 18..20 GHz Fractional-N Synthesizer,” in Proceedings of the 3rd European Microwave Integrated Circuits Conference (EuMIC2007), Munich, Germany, pp. 263-266, Oct. 2007. |
| External Links | http://www.kayser-threde.de, http://www.imst.de, http://www.esa.int, http://www.dlr.de |