Entwurf von 60 GHz-Radar-Frontends für industrielle Sensoranwendungen

Within the last two decades, a growing demand for precise real time sensing systems in the field of detection, positioning and ranging in industrial environments has been observed. Therefore cost-efficient technical systems are needed. For this purpose, a variety of sensors based on optical, ultrasonic or electromagnetic principles have been shown and used.

Industrial applications range from the localization of goods and tools to collision avoidance systems for transport vehicles. Precise sensing enables further optimization and industrial automation of logistic chains. For the design of such sensors, radar principles working at 60 GHz are a promising approach. The technology is robust regarding dust and environmental influences and allows a high level of integration due to its short wavelength. A wide bandwidth of 500 MHz makes a high resolution possible. These kind of sensors enable the development of collision avoidance systems as well as future automated vehicle systems.

This thesis focuses on system and component design including an appropriate packaging technology for highly integrated SiGe:C transceivers for industrial radar applications in the license free 60 GHz range. Therefore a variety of integrated circuits have been designed in a bipolar SiGe:C technology and verified by on-wafer measurements. The MMIC-transceivers have been packaged in an eWLB-technology which allows for direct embedding of passive devices in the package redistribution layer. This setup facilitates a very compact and efficient radar frontend design comprising all millimeter-wave components including integrated antennas directly in a 8x8 mm2 package.

The results show an excellent system performance of these highly integrated radar frontends. This thesis provides a comprehensive system level approach for the design and analysis of highly integrated 60 GHz radar systems and shows their prospects and constraints for industrial use.

The different fabricated radar transceiver frontends have been mounted on standard FR4-substrate printed circuit boards. For verification purposes of the proposed frontends, a frequency modulated radar system was designed and set up as a part of this thesis. Theoretical considerations and simulations, as well as corresponding measurements have been carried out for the evaluation of the designed system.

This thesis gives a system-theoretic background for the analysis of 60 GHz radar systems and shows an innovative system implementation with the prospect for cost-efficient millimeter-wave systems in industrial environments. The implemented approach proposes an encapsulated 60 GHz radar system in an eWLB package that can be competitively fabricated in high volume.