20170110-Matig-a-Thesis.pdf (26.09 MB)
EMI-Immune Differential Wireline Communication Transceiver Front-Ends
thesis
posted on 2017-01-10, 05:14 authored by Gilbert Andrew Matig-aElectromagnetic
interference (EMI) presents a considerable challenge in wireline
transmitter-receiver designs. In this age when electronic systems are
continuously being miniaturized and multi-functionalized, conventional
electromagnetic interference (EMI) suppression and mitigation solutions become
more impractical as they require more space, additional components and an
increase in the manufacturing costs and delay the development process. Thus,
inherent EMI-self-immune designs become more desirable.
Despite their differential signaling nature, differential wireline communication front-ends are one of the blocks that are primarily vulnerable to EMI due to the nonlinear properties of active devices used in integrated systems. Wireline communication front-end blocks are directly connected to electrically long transmission lines that act as good receptors of EMI. Consequently, data transmission errors become predominant as injected EMI corrupts transmitted data by causing unintended logic state reversals due to large amplitude excursions brought by the undesired injected signal. Additionally, an injected EMI causes severe DC shift errors, driving the front-end blocks out of their operating regions. Hence, EMI corrupts the integrity of an electronic system when it is not mitigated.
The aim of this research is to eliminate the need for the costly off-chip EMI suppression and mitigation schemes by designing practical and efficient integrated EMI solutions that enable integrated wireline communication front-ends to have self--immunity to EMI. The study focused on three of the most commonly applied high-speed wireline communication systems – Low voltage differential signaling (LVDS), current mode logic (CML), and voltage mode logic (VML). Thus far, EMI self-immune LVDS, CML and VML transceiver systems have been designed and fabricated using standard UMC 0.18μm CMOS process. The proposed transceivers demonstrated a superior level of EMI robustness as compared to conventional transceiver structures when both are subjected to the full spectrum and worst case amplitude of EMI.
Despite their differential signaling nature, differential wireline communication front-ends are one of the blocks that are primarily vulnerable to EMI due to the nonlinear properties of active devices used in integrated systems. Wireline communication front-end blocks are directly connected to electrically long transmission lines that act as good receptors of EMI. Consequently, data transmission errors become predominant as injected EMI corrupts transmitted data by causing unintended logic state reversals due to large amplitude excursions brought by the undesired injected signal. Additionally, an injected EMI causes severe DC shift errors, driving the front-end blocks out of their operating regions. Hence, EMI corrupts the integrity of an electronic system when it is not mitigated.
The aim of this research is to eliminate the need for the costly off-chip EMI suppression and mitigation schemes by designing practical and efficient integrated EMI solutions that enable integrated wireline communication front-ends to have self--immunity to EMI. The study focused on three of the most commonly applied high-speed wireline communication systems – Low voltage differential signaling (LVDS), current mode logic (CML), and voltage mode logic (VML). Thus far, EMI self-immune LVDS, CML and VML transceiver systems have been designed and fabricated using standard UMC 0.18μm CMOS process. The proposed transceivers demonstrated a superior level of EMI robustness as compared to conventional transceiver structures when both are subjected to the full spectrum and worst case amplitude of EMI.
