Using temperature as observable of the frequency response of RF CMOS amplifiers

Abstract

The power dissipated by the devices of an integrated circuit can be considered a signature of the circuit's performance. Without disturbing the circuit operation, this power consumption can be monitored by temperature measurements on the silicon surface. In this paper, the frequency response of a RF LNA is observed by measuring spectral components of the sensed temperature. Results prove that temperature can be used to debug and observe figures of merit of analog blocks in a RFIC. Experimental measurements have been done in a 0.25 mum CMOS process. Laser probing techniques have been used as temperature sensors; specifically, a thermoreflectometer and a Michaelson interferometer.