Frequency-Division Bidirectional Communication Over Chip-to-Chip Channels

• Published in: IEEE transactions on advanced packaging Vol. 32; no. 2; pp. 298 - 305
• Main Authors: Bichan, M., Hossain, M., Carusone, A.C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York IEEE 01.05.2009; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: Bands; Bandwidth; Bidirectional; Bidirectional control; Channels; CMOS digital integrated circuits; Complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) integrated circuits; digital communication; Direct current; Equalizers; Finite impulse response filter; Frequency division; Frequency division multiaccess; Frequency division multiple access; Hysteresis; Microstrip; multichip modules; pulse shaping circuits; Radio transmitters; Receivers; Transceivers; Transmitters
• ISSN: 1521-3323; 1557-9980
• DOI: 10.1109/TADVP.2009.2013454

Frequency division multiple access is applied to bidirectional communication over chip-to-chip links. Frequency division is implemented by dividing the spectrum into low-frequency (dc) and high-frequency (ac) bands using a simple LC filter. The nonidealities that this filter introduces are compensated for with a transmitter/receiver pair that can recover signals in both bands. The receiver uses a dual-path topology that includes hysteresis to recover data from a signal with no dc content. The transmitter is a 6-tap (FIR) pre-emphasis equalizer with variable tap spacing. In simulation, the transmitter and receiver simultaneously communicate error-free at 8 Gb/s over the ac channel and at 500 Mb/s over the dc channel. Measurements shows that the ac and dc signals can be individually recovered and that the two signals occupy distinct frequency bands.