According to the partners, the digital-style receiver is three times smaller than current devices and supports supplies as low as 0.85V, while consuming less than 1.6mW peak. It also features a low power antenna impedance detection technique to enhance radio performance, particularly in wearables or implantable devices.
Imec’s receiver concept is said to consume less than 1nJ/bit, while maintaining an RX sensitivity similar to that of leading devices. Digital phase-tracking translates the RF input directly to demodulated digital data, while digitally controlled oscillator is used instead of a phase locked loop. The receiver, implemented in 40nm CMOS, occupies 0.3mm2, is claimed to allow cost efficient manufacturing.
An integrated, sub mW impedance detection technique for ultra-low power radios enables tunable matching between the antenna and the radio front-end. This approach can be implemented in an adaptive radio front-end to improve receiver sensitivity and transmitter efficiency in the presence of antenna impedance variations.
“This innovative receiver concept will not only serve the new Bluetooth 5 devices, but also provide our industrial partners with a long term competitive advantage for multiple new generations of Bluetooth and 802.15.4 radios,” said Kathleen Philips, director of the imec/Holst Centre Perceptive Systems programme. “This achievement is a confirmation of our continuous efforts to push the technology limits toward ever higher performance, lower power consumption and smaller form factor, which are essential features for IoT radio solutions.”