Forward on the importance of quality PDK Tools for RF BAW Filter Design by Colin Field, Supplier Business Manager at RFMW
Hardware designers face a perpetual challenge in the RF industry: to create solutions that are smaller, more powerful, and more capable than previous generations of equipment.
While high-performance integrated radio front ends and high-speed digital technologies have historically borne the burden of industry demands, the electromagnetic spectrum in which such radios operate is becoming increasingly congested, heightening the need for high-performance, small-form-factor RF filtering.
Significant progress has been made, particularly in sub-3GHz bands where SAW technology offers standard solutions for IoT, LTE, and 5G applications at a relatively low cost of entry for non-standard, custom-engineered solutions. However, options remain limited for engineers working above 3GHz who face size constraints and require properties such as high adjacent channel rejection.
BAW technology holds immense promise for design engineers, yet until recently, its capabilities have been confined to approximately 6GHz. Moreover, access to this technology has been restricted due to the complexity of resonator design, posing challenges in bringing new solutions to market.
Akoustis has successfully surmounted these obstacles, and I am delighted to share the details of the Akoustis XForge Process Design Kit (PDK), which, for the first time, places BAW design capability directly into the hands of hardware engineers.
Colin Field, Supplier Business Manager at RFMW
Akoustis introduces its XForge PDK tool suite, engineered to equip designers with functionalities essential for the creation, simulation, layout, and validation of BAW filter designs. These tools allow designers to refine and validate filter designs before transitioning them to Akoustis Foundry Solutions (AFS) facilities for chip manufacturing.
The XBAW® Filter Design Tool Suite
Akoustis’ XForge PDK offers two wizards as separate installers, each tailored to different needs. The Filter Synthesizer, integrated within a Cadence AWR environment, empowers designers to input key parameters such as bandwidth, rejection, and return loss to generate a detailed filter response. This software facilitates the rapid generation of filter designs, which can be exported into s-parameter files for further analysis or Cadence AWR.
Complementing the Filter Synthesizer, the XForge PDK serves as a layout automation tool, enabling designers to establish electrical connections between resonator p-cells. The resulting layout, combined with additional fabrication layers, leads to a finalized die layout prepared for a 3D electromagnetic (EM) simulation.
Comprehensive Overview of the PDK
Akoustis’ XForge PDK optimizes the XBAW® MEMS design process by enabling the utilization and the reuse of intellectual property (IP) and other specialized process building blocks. Within the PDK, information on Akoustis’ XBAW® process is organized into a layer process file and converted into a design framework. Featuring a robust library of XBAW® resonator p-cells, leveraging scalable mBVD models, the PDK empowers designers and customers to create products and filters spanning from 2 to 20 GHz, aligned with our fab’s technology offerings.
As the primary interface and touchpoint for foundry customers, PDKs enhance the likelihood of achieving first-pass successful filter designs feasible for production by our foundry. The XForge PDK automatically imposes constraints on the designers, permitting adjustments only to specific parameters during the design evaluation process. This tailored approach ensures that final designs seamlessly align with the manufacturing process, streamlining design workflows, enhancing productivity, and minimizing costs, delivering customers the maximum value proposition.
Navigating Market Challenges
XBAW® filters stand out in the market due to their unique attributes, offering ultra-small form factor coupled with higher performance metrics, such as low insertion loss, high rejection, wide bandwidth, and power handling capabilities, offered in a cost-effective platform. This combination presents a compelling proposition for various industries, including but not limited to Wi-Fi AP, 5G Mobile and Infrastructure, Defense, Satellite Communications, and Automotive. Akoustis XBAW® technology is a proven RF filter solution addressing the difficult coexistence requirements for many applications.
By providing a comprehensive suite of tools and technologies, the PDK tool for RF BAW filter design enables customers to gain access to the full potential of XBAW® filters, tailoring them to meet specific requirements and objectives.
Conclusion
The capabilities offered by Akoustis’ XForge PDK Tools for RF BAW Filter Design represent a cornerstone in the RF filter design workflow. From streamlining the design process to facilitating performance validation through electromagnetic simulations, the PDK enables designers to achieve optimal outcomes. By leveraging the XBAW® MEMS process and adhering to stringent layout design rules, designers can navigate the complexities of RF filter design with confidence, ensuring the creation of high-performance filters tailored to meet the diverse needs of modern microwave applications. Moving forward, the integration of these tools promises to drive continued innovation and advancement in RF filter design. Akoustis hopes that anyone can create a filter from the tools provided, regardless of their level of expertise.
About the Authors
Colin Field is an RFMW Supplier Business Manager responsible for passive components with a particular focus on RF Filters and antenna solutions. Beginning his career in 1984, Colin has a passion for physics which has led to a lifelong interest in materials technology, properties and the potential uses and applications of those materials.
Pinal Patel, Director of Engineering at Akoustis, is a Professional Engineer with extensive experience working in RF/Microwave environment specializing in design of discrete high power GaN transistor power amplifiers for wireless infrastructure and defense Radar applications from UHF to S-band. She has a proven ability through product ranges from unmatched wide band power transistors to fully matched high power amplifiers.
Kaylie Esinhart, Marketing Specialist at Akoustis, earned her MS and Digital Marketing credentials from the University of North Carolina. She is responsible for coordinating tradeshows and other corporate events, managing social media platforms, press releases, content creation, and ensuring brand consistency across all channels.
