Sub-5mw IEEE 802.15.4z Impulse-Radio Ultra-Wideband (IR-UWB) Transmitter Chip For Next-Gen Affordable and Small Form-Factor UWB Deployments

Fabricated in 28-nm CMOS (with an occupied core area of only 0.15mm²), the IEEE 802.15.4z impulse-radio ultra-wideband (IR-UWB) transmitter chip from Imec aims to enable the next generation of cost-effective, small form-factor UWB deployments. Showcased at International Solid-State Circuits Conference (ISSCC), this new chip ensures to strike a balance between UWB’s accurate and secure ranging capabilities for indoor localization and the need for increased energy efficiency.

The IEEE 802.15.4z transmitter chip has been custom-developed to achieve a low power consumption of 4.9 milliwatts (mW) in a standard-compliant operation which is ten times lower than the power budget of state-of-the-art UWB products. The device adheres to UWB’s stringent spectral emission regulations and offers high-accuracy and secure ranging for indoor localization. Its innovative, digital-intensive architecture has been fabricated in a 28nm CMOS process, leading to an area use of only 0.15mm².

Key Features of IEEE 802.15.4z Impulse-Radio Ultra-Wideband (IR-UWB) Transmitter Chip

• 28-nm CMOS (with an occupied core area of only 0.15mm²)
• Low power consumption of 4.9 milliwatts (mW)
• Injection-locked ring oscillator (ILRO) technology

Besides, injection-locked ring oscillator (ILRO) technology enables developers to achieve greater power savings by enabling fast duty cycling between the IR-UWB transmitter’s signal bursts within a packet and allowing parts of the transmitter to be turned off between those pulses. 

Note: More technical information can be found in the IEEE 802.15.4z impulse-radio ultra-wideband (IR-UWB) transmitter chip product page.