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IEEE Transactions on Applied Superconductivity

RSFQ front-end for a software radio receiver

E. Wikborg, Vasili K. Semenov, Konstantin K. Likharev

Published Jun 1, 1999• 49 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We present results of a preliminary analysis of possible front-ends of a software defined radio base station receiver containing superconductor Rapid Single-Flux-Quantum (RSFQ) components. The main component of such a front-end, an oversampling analog-to-digital converter (ADC) with expected internal clock rate up to 20 GHz has already been developed and fabricated with commercially available 3.5-/spl mu/m, 1-kA/cm/sup 2/ niobium-trilayer technology. Simulations show that, even with such crude feature size, the superconductor ADC components can outperform their semiconductor counterparts.

DOI
10.1109/77.783811

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IEEE Transactions on Applied Superconductivity•Jun 1, 1995•51 citations
We present results of a preliminary analysis of possible front-ends of a software defined radio base station receiver containing superconductor Rapid Single-Flux-Quantum (RSFQ) components. The main component of such a front-end, an oversampling analog-to-digital converter (ADC) with expected internal clock rate up to 20 GHz has already been developed and fabricated with commercially available 3.5-/spl mu/m, 1-kA/cm/sup 2/ niobium-trilayer technology. Simulations show that, even with such crude feature size, the superconductor ADC components can outperform their semiconductor counterparts.
Software-Defined Radio (SDR), as explained in [1], is a promising concept for the wireless communication industry since the entire transceiver function can be implemented in software, avoiding the replacement of hardware each time the system has to be upgraded. However, the practical implementation of such a system is depended on the hardware, which consists of precise, ultra highspeed electronic devices such as Analog-to-Digital Converters (ADCs). The present state-of-the-art semiconductor ADCs cannot be used for the implementation of SDR in the near future [2]. Some of the factors that hamper the implementation are the requirements of very high speed of a few tens of GHz and the high resolution (e.g. 16 bits) at these speeds. On the other hand, using the Low-Temperature Superconducting (LTS) technology [3], which relays on the quantum mechanical property of superconductors, very high-speed electronic devices with the accuracy of a flux quantum, can be constructed. In a closed superconducting loop, the magnetic flux can exist only in discrete quantized amounts equal to the multiples of the magnetic flux quantum, φ0 = h/2e ~ 2.07x10 Wb. The theoretical speed limit of such a Rapid Single Flux Quantum (RSFQ) device is close to 1 THz [4]. These RSFQ circuits are the fastest of all devices built in any known technology. The basic building block of an RSFQ circuit is the Josephson Junction (JJ), which is formed when two superconductors are separated by an interface. Since RSFQ circuits work at extremely high speeds, testing and verification of such a device is a difficult and challenging task. Direct testing at these speeds is not possible at this moment. Furthermore, the costs of the equipment required for such tests would be extremely high. Hence methods have to be developed to reduce the requirements of external
We describe three types of software-defined-radio (SDR) receivers based on superconducting technologies. The superconducting analog bandpass filters are essential for all types of the receivers. Another key component is an analog-to-digital converters (ADCs), which are required to have high resolution with a broad band width. The complementary A ADC based on the single-flux-quantum circuit is a promising candidate for the SDR receivers because it has a practical nature together with above-mentioned requirements. The experimentally obtained signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and sensitivity, which are closely related to the resolution, are 34 dB and 20 μA for a quarter of the full-scale input with a band width of about 20 MHz. If we use the optimum decimation filter, the ADC is expected to have the SNR of 82 dB and the sensitivity of 300 nA. These values meet the requirements of the easiest type of the SDR receiver. After new fabrication process has been introduced and the architecture of the ADC has been improved, all types of recievers could be realized based on suoerconductors.
Ultrafast switching speed, low power, natural quantization of magnetic flux, quantum accuracy, and low noise of cryogenic superconductor circuits enable fast and accurate data conversion between the analog and digital domains. Based on rapid single-flux quantum (RSFQ) logic, these integrated circuits are capable of achieving performance levels unattainable by any other technology. Two major classes of superconductor analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) are being developed - Nyquist sampling and oversampling converters. Complete systems with digital sampling at rates of /spl sim/20 GHz and above have been demonstrated using low-temperature superconductor device technology. Some ADC components have also been implemented using high-temperature superconductors. Superconductor ADCs have unique applications in true digital-RF communications, broadband instrumentation, and digital sensor readout. Their designs, test results, and future development trends are reviewed.
We are developing an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) based on rapid single-flux quantum technology for radio-astronomic spectroscopy applications where very wide bandwidth is required and relatively small resolution is sufficient. The ADC consists of periodic-flash comparators, a demultiplexer and output drivers; and is sufficiently simple to be implemented on a single chip using a conventional 2–3 μm Nb trilayer technology. A 2-bit ADC has been designed for operation at 16 GHz of the sampling frequency. All the subsystems of the ADC have been fabricated using standard 1.6 kA cm −2 Nb/AlO x /Nb technology and have been successfully tested.
We describe the design of an oversampling single-flux-counting analog-to-digital converter with the estimated bandwidth of a few tens of MHz, based on Rapid Single-Flux-Quantum (RSFQ) devices. It consists of an input analog circuit, high-speed quantizer with an original analog/digital negative feedback loop, decimation (comb) filter, and supporting subsystems including clock distribution circuits, quantization signal conditioner, and output drivers. We have applied a new approach, the 'symmetrizing' negative feedback, to free the quantizer from the intrinsic hysteresis without dynamic range sacrifice. The 16-bit version of the system comprises about 1,500 Josephson junctions and consumes 1.2 mW of DC power, when implemented using Nb-trilayer technology with 1 kA/cm/sup 2/, 3.5 /spl mu/m Josephson junctions. All subsystems of the converter have been successfully tested and testing of the system as a whole is in progress.>