Abstract
We review the current state of the art on antennas for use in wireless networks on chips (WiNoCs) and also provide results on wireless channel characteristics in the WiNoC setting—the latter are largely absent from the literature. We first describe the motivation for constructing these miniature networks, aimed at improving efficiency of future multi-processor integrated circuits. We then discuss the implications for antennas: in addition to the usual antenna parameters for communication links (gain, impedance match, pattern), this includes important structural and multiple-access considerations. After a review of the literature and a summary of published antenna characteristics and future challenges, we present example results for a representative structure to illustrate antenna performance and WiNoC channel characteristics.
Similar content being viewed by others
Notes
Since virtually nothing has appeared in the literature on practical WiNoC channel characteristics, we do not have an explicit literature review for this area; selected relevant references on this are cited throughout.
Note that this is hence identical to “transmission gain,” but the term path loss is prevalent in the communications literature.
The 2 dB value is arbitrary, and could be adjusted. Consequences of the non-flat channel amplitude response could be required equalization, which we discuss subsequently.
References
Borkar, S. (2007). Thousand core chips: A technology perspective. In Proceedings of 44th design automation conference, San Diego, CA, 4–8 June 2007.
Matolak, D. W., Kodi, A., Kaya, S., DiTomaso, D., Laha, S., & Rayess, W. (2012). Wireless networks-on-chips: Architecture, wireless channel, and devices. IEEE Wireless Communications Magazine, 19(5), 58–65.
Kaya, S., Laha, S., Kodi, A., Ditomaso, D., Matolak, D. W., & Rayess, W. (2013). On ultra-short wireless interconnects for NoCs and SoCs: Bridging the ‘THz Gap’. In IEEE international midwest symposium on circuits and systems, Columbus, OH, 4–7 August 2013.
Ditomaso, D., Kodi, A., Kaya, S., Laha, S., Matolak, D. W., & Rayess, W. (2013). Energy-efficient adaptive wireless NoCs architecture. In NOCS 2013, Tempe, AZ, 21–24 April 2013.
Ganguly, A., Chang, K., Deb, S., Pande, P. P., Belzer, B., & Teuscher, C. (2011). Scalable hybrid wireless network-on-chip architectures for multicore systems. IEEE Transactions on Computers, 60(10), 1485–1502.
Lee, S., Tam, S., Pefkianakis, I., Lu, S., Chang, M. F., Guo, C., et al. (2009). A scalable micro wireless interconnect structure for CMPs. In Proceedings of MobiCom’09, Beijing, China, 20–25 September 2009.
Matolak, D. W., Kodi, A., & Kaya, S. (2013). Channel modeling for wireless networks-on-chips. IEEE Communications Magazine, 51(6), 180–186.
Wang, Y., Makadia, D., & Margala, M. (2006). On-chip integrated antennas—the first challenge for reliable on-chip wireless interconnects. In Canadian conference on electrical and computer engineering (pp. 2322–2325), Ottawa, Canada 7–10 May 2006.
He, X., Li, J., Zhang, M., & Qi, S. (2010). Improvement of integrated dipole antenna performance using diamond for intra-chip wireless interconnection. In IEEE International Conference IC Design and Technology (pp. 248–251), Grenoble, France, 2–4 June 2010.
Moriyama, W., Kubota, S., Kimoto, K., Sasaki, N., & Kikkawa T. (2008). On-chip micro-meander-antennas for silicon LSI wireless interconnects. In IEEE international symposium antennas and propagation (pp. 1–4), 5–11 July 2008.
Kim, K., & Ko, K. (1999). Integrated dipole antennas on silicon substrates for intra-chip communication. IEEE Antennas and Propagation Society International Symposium, 3, 1582–1585.
Titz, D., Ben Abdeljelil, F., Jan, S., Ferrero, F., Luxey, C., Brachat, P., et al. (2012). Design and characterization of CMOS on-chip antennas for 60 GHz communications. Radioengineering, 21(1), 324–332.
Singh, G. (2010). Design considerations for rectangular microstrip patch antenna on electromagnetic crystal substrate at terahertz frequency. Infrared Physics and Technology, 53(1), 17–22.
Uzunkol, M., Gurbuz, O. D., Golcuk, F., & Rebeiz, G. M. (2013). A 0.32 THz SiGe 4 x 4 imaging array using high-efficiency on-chip antennas. IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits, 48(9), 2056–2066.
Golcuk, F., Gurbuz, O. D., & Rebeiz, G. M. (2013). A 0.39–0.44 THz 2 x 4 amplifier-quadrupler array with peak EIRP of 3–4 dBm. IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques, 61(12), 4483–4491.
Ojefors, E., Pfeiffer, U. R., Lisauskas, A., & Roskos, H. G. (2009). A 0.65 THz focal-plane array in a quarter-micron CMOS process technology. IEEE Journal on Solid-State Circuits, 44(7), 1968–1976.
Tavakoli, E., Tabandeh, M., & Kaffash, S. (2011). An optimized phased-array antenna for intra-chip communications. In Loughborough antennas and propagation conference (pp. 1–4), Loughborough, UK, 14–15 November 2011.
Deb, S., Ganguly, A., Chang, K., Pande, P., Belzer, B., & Heo, D. (2010). Enhancing performance of network-on-chip architectures with millimeter-wave wireless interconnects. In Proceedings of IEEE international conference application-specific systems, architectures and processors (ASAP 2010) (pp. 73–80), 7–9 July 2010.
Pan, S., Wang, D., & Capolino, F. (2011). Novel high efficiency CMOS on-chip antenna structures at millimeter waves. In IEEE international symposium on antennas and propagation (pp. 907, 910), 3–8 July 2011.
Marnat, L., Carreno, A. A. A., Conchouso, D., Martinez, M. G., Foulds, I. G., & Shamim, A. (2013). New movable plate for efficient millimeter wave vertical on-chip antenna. IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation, 61(4), 1608–1615.
Kubota, S., Kimoto, K., Sasaki, N., Toya, A., & Kikkawa, T. (2011). A novel 10 Gb/s silicon on-chip UWB twiggy antenna for intra-package communication. In IEEE international symposium antennas and propagation (pp. 82–85), 3–8 July 2011.
Yeh, H., Melde, K., & Eisenstadt, W. (2012). Design and packaging of small 60 GHz antenna array for multi-chip communication. In Proceedings of IEEE international conference wireless information technology and systems (ICWITS), Maui, HI, 11–16 November 2012.
Melde, K., Yoo, S., & Yeh, H. (2015). On-chip antenna arrays for multi-chip RF data transmission. In European conference on antennas and propagation (pp. 1–4), 13–17 April 2015.
Kikkawa, T., Kimoto, K., & Kubota, S. (2010). Analysis of silicon on-chip integrated antennas for intra- and inter-chip wireless interconnects. In European solid-state device research conference (pp. 114–117), Seville, Spain, 14–16 September 2010.
Yordanov, H., & Russer, P. (2010). Area-efficient integrated antennas for inter-chip communication. In European Microwave Conference (pp. 401–404), Paris, France, 28–30 September 2010.
Wu-Hsin, C., Sanghoon, J., Sayilir, S., Willmot, R., Tae-Young, C., Dowon, K., et al. (2009). A 6-Gb/s wireless inter-chip data link using 43-GHz transceivers and bond-wire antennas. IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits, 44(10), 2711–2721.
Lin, J., et al. (2007). Communication using antennas fabricated in silicon integrated circuits. IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits, 42(8), 1678–1687.
Cheema, H. M., & Shamim, A. (2013). The last barrier: On-chip antennas. IEEE Microwave Magazine, 14(1), 79–91.
Radecki, A., Yuxiang, Y., Miura, N., Aikawa, I., Take, Y., Ishikuro, H., et al. (2012). Simultaneous 6-Gb/s data and 10-mW power transmission using nested clover coils for noncontact memory card. IEEE Journal Solid-State Circuits, 47(10), 2484–2495.
Keller, S. D., Palmer, W. D., & Joines, W. T. (2010). Digitally driven antenna for HF transmission. IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and Techniques, 58(9), 2362–2367.
Davoyan, A. R., Maksymov, I. S., & Kivshar, Y. S. (2011). Tapered plasmonic Yagi-Uda nanoantennas for emission enhancement and broadband communication. In International quantum electronics conference IQEC/CLEO Pacific Rim 2011 (pp. 646–648), Sydney, Australia, 28 August–1 September 2011.
Nenzi, P., Tripaldi, F., Varlamava, V., Palma, F., & Balucani, M. (2012). On-chip THz 3D antennas. In 2012 IEEE 62nd electronic components and technology conference (ECTC) (pp. 102–108), 29 May–1 June 1 2012.
Cain, J. (2013). Vice President, Platform Engineering Group, Cisco Systems, private communication, University of South Carolina Department of Electrical Engineering Seminar, 25 November 2013.
Cideciyan, R. D., Gustlin, M., Li, M. P., Wang, J., & Qant, Z. (2013). Next generation backplane and copper cable challenges. IEEE Communications Magazine, 51(12), 130–136.
Proakis, J. G., & Salehi, M. (2007). Digital communications (5th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank ANSYS, Inc., for the generous use of the HFSS® software. This research was supported by the NSF Award ECCS-1129010.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Rayess, W., Matolak, D.W., Kaya, S. et al. Antennas and Channel Characteristics for Wireless Networks on Chips. Wireless Pers Commun 95, 5039–5056 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11277-017-4144-0
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11277-017-4144-0