28-Gb/s 60-GHz Bidirectional 802.11ay Transceiver

A new 60-GHz CMOS IEEE 802.11ay transceiver applies an area-efficient bidirectional technique, sharing interstage passive components to reduce manufacturing costs and cut the transceiver footprint to just 0.96-mm². Measured RX noise is 5.4 dB; TX-mode error vector magnitude is -26 dB with output power of -4.2 dBm. Maximum data rate is 28.16 Gb/s in 16-QAM.
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IMS2020 Session Proposals Due 25 Sept.

The deadline is 25 Sept. to submit technical session proposals (Workshops, Technical Lectures, Focus and Special Sessions, Panel and Rump Sessions, MicroApps, and Industry Workshops) for the next International Microwave Symposium (IMS2020, Los Angeles, CA, 21-25 June 2020). Technical paper submissions are due by 4 Dec.
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A 1-Mb/s BLE Uplink for Brain-Computer Interface

Wireless brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) must minimize both thermal dissipation into tissues and battery size and weight. A new backscatter Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE)-compatible backscatter communication uplink for the NeuroDisc BCI works with unmodified BLE devices such as PCs, smartphones, and tablets. It consumes just under 200 pJ/bit, less than 2% of the energy commercially available BLE transmitters use, while single-sideband BLE backscatter increases available channel power by +3 dB.
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Distinguished Microwave Lecturers for 2020-2022

MTT-S has announced four new Distinguished Microwave Lecturers for 2020-2022: James Hwang (Cornell), "Broadband Label-free Noninvasive Electrical Characterization of Live Biological Cells"; Jon Martens (Anritsu) "What Is My Measurement Equipment Actually Doing? Implications for 5G"; James Schellenberg (QuinStar), "mmWave GaN Power Amplifiers: Technology to Power the Future"; Ruonan Han (MIT), "Chip-Scale Wave-Matter Interactions at RF-to-Light Frequencies: Circuits, Systems and Applications."
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Wireless Time Transfer With Subpicosecond Accuracy

A picosecond pulse detector implemented in 65-nm CMOS technology uses a three-stage injection-locked frequency divider to lock the output signal to the 9.6-GHz repetition rate, with an effective locking range of 142 MHz and a timing jitter of 0.29 psrms. The integrated system consumes 42 mW from a 1.3-V supply and occupies a total area of 0.9 mm², including on-chip antenna and pads.
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John Barr Enters Technical Activities Hall of Honor

The MTT-S past president John Barr will enter the IEEE Technical Activities Board (TAB) Hall of Honor 2019. He has previously received the the 2017 IEEE Haraden Pratt Award “For sustained leadership and service across IEEE and Society levels”, the 2013 MTT-S N. Walter Cox Award, the 2016 Microwave Application Award, and the 2017 MTT-S Distinguished Service.
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Temperature-Adjusted LC Clock with 50-ppm Accuracy

A crystal-less CMOS frequency reference circuit exploits the open-loop LC oscillator while ensuring constant-bias-condition, temperature-insensitive operation with an on-chip temperature sensor and digital control logic. The prototype circuit achieves ±50 ppm frequency accuracy (drift) over temperatures -40 °C to 80 °C.
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Last Call for MTT-S Fellowships/Scholarships

The deadline for Graduate Fellowships and Undergraduate Scholarships is 15 October. Graduate awards include a US$6,000 scholarship and up to US$1,000 to travel to IMS 2020. Undergraduate awards include a US$1,500 scholarship, and up US$1,000 for travel to IMS 2020 or a regional MTT-S conference. Don't miss the opportunity.
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Active/Passive Sensing for Detecting Vital Signs

Most conventional vital-sign sensing techniques are incompatible with the circuits in commercial wireless communication devices and do not readily provide both active and passive sensing. A novel active/passive dual-mode vital-sign sensing technique combines error vector magnitude (EVM) algorithms with wireless-communication demodulation to detect vital signs at distances up to 9m, even through a 15-cm-thick reinforced concrete wall.
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Coming Up: EuMC, Radar, Packaging, and More

Upcoming MTT-S-sponsored meetings include: European Microwaves (EuMC, Paris, 1-3 Oct.); European Radar (EuRAD, Paris, 2-4 Oct.); Electrical Performance of Electronic Packaging and Systems (EPEPS, Montreal, QC, 7-10 Oct.); Microwave Photonics (MWP, Ottawa, ON, 7-10 Oct.); Phased Array Systems (PAST, Waltham, MA, 15-18 Oct.), Humanitarian Technology (GHTC, Seattle, WA, 17-20 Oct.); Advanced Technologies in Telecom (TELSIKS, Nis, Serbia, 23-25 Oct), and more.
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