A world-class millimeter wave RF laboratory and test facility paving the way for the RF PHY technology convergence for next generation of sensing and communications up to the high GHz frequency range (30 GHz to 300 GHz) by combining research forces, know-how, infrastructure, and expertise in a joint lab growing PhDs, tenure tracks, and scientific progress of the state-of-the-art jointly done by JKU and Silicon Austria Labs.
Many often-contradicting demands for the different use-cases call for the usage of extensive advanced analogue, digital, as well as mixed-signal circuit design methods and the use of various semiconductor technologies. Furthermore, an increased utilization of signal processing techniques is often mandatory for basic tasks as trimming and calibration, or upcoming challenges as real-time adaptive wideband correction of hardware impairments, and control of digitally-reconfigurable or digitally-enhanced circuits.
One key direction is to make use of increased Ft/Fmax in nanoscale CMOS technologies for mmW Radar and communication circuits and systems, and/or for very low power sensor systems. Furthermore, e.g., virtual prototype (VP) models for multi-antenna arrays or heterogeneously integrated structures will be invaluable, e.g. to evaluate element cross coupling for multi-antenna mmWave communication, radar beamforming, and additional further MIMO applications will be addressed.
We are working on advanced signal processing and integrated circuit design concepts targeting competence to realize class leading integrated circuits on component and SoC level and provide corresponding advanced signal processing methods and algorithms. By making use of circuits and signal processing methods for wireless communication (e.g. 5G and mmWave RFID) and radar systems shall be targeted. System integration aspects in RF and mmWave frontends must be considered and will be correspondingly handled. For wireline systems, again energy efficiency, interconnect density, and multi-Gb/s data transmitters are current research topics.