An In-Field Programmable Adaptive CMOS LNA for Intelligent IOT Sensor Node Applications

TL;DR

This paper presents a reconfigurable CMOS low noise amplifier designed for IoT sensor nodes, enabling post-production adaptation to optimize performance across various applications, thereby enhancing device reusability and field performance.

Contribution

It introduces a novel in-field programmable LNA with a statistical model linking reconfiguration parameters to performance, validated through simulation and chip measurements.

Findings

Successful fabrication of the adaptable LNA in 130nm CMOS

Accurate performance prediction using the statistical model

Reduced estimation error in performance parameters

Abstract

As the Internet of Things (IOT) is growing rapidly, there is an emerging need to facilitate development of IOT devices in the design cycle while optimized performance is obtained in the field of operation. This paper develops reconfiguration approaches that enable post-production adaptation of circuit performance to enable RF IC re-use across different IOT applications. An adaptable low noise amplifier is designed and fabricated in 130nm CMOS technology to investigate the post-production reconfiguration concept. A statistical model that relates circuit-level reconfiguration parameters to circuit performances is generated by characterizing a limited number of samples. This model is used to predict the performance parameters of the device in the field. The estimation error for LNA performance parameters are obtained in the simulation environment as well as chip measurements.