• International journal of advanced smart convergence
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.96-103
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• 2022

This paper presents the analysis of increasing the resolution of True-Time-Delay (TTD) by 0.5-bit for phased-array antenna system which is one of the Multiple-Input and Multiple Output (MIMO) technologies. For the analysis, a 5.5-bit True-Time Delay (TTD) integrated circuit is designed and analyzed in terms of beam steering performance. In order to increase the number of effective bits, the designed 5.5-bit TTD uses Single Pole Triple Throw (SP3T) and Double Pole Triple Throw (DP3T) switches, and this method can minimize the circuit area by inserting the minimum time delay of 0.5-bit. Furthermore, the circuit mostly maintains the performance of the circuit with the fully added bits. The idea of adding 0.5-bit is verified by analyzing the relation between the number of bits and array elements. The 5.5-bit TTD is designed using 0.18 ㎛ RF CMOS process and the estimated size of the designed circuit excluding the pad is 0.57×1.53 mm². In contrast to the conventional phase shifter which has distortion of scanning angle known as beam squint phenomenon, the proposed TTD circuit has constant time delays for all states across a wide frequency range of 4 - 20 GHz with minimized power consumption. The minimum time delay is designed to have 1.1 ps and 2.2 ps for the 0.5-bit option and the normal 1-bit option, respectively. A simulation for beam patterns where the 10 phased-array antenna is assumed at 10 GHz confirms that the 0.5-bit concept suppresses the pointing error and the relative power error by up to 1.5 degrees and 80 mW, respectively, compared to the conventional 5-bit TTD circuit.