MODULAR AND RECONFIGURABLE COMPUTER-AIDED DESIGN OF MMICS

MODULAR AND RECONFIGURABLE CAD TECHNIQUES ARE DESIRABLE TO MEET THE HIGH VOLUME/FAST RURN-AROUND/AFFORABLE PRODUCTION GOALS TO GIVEN SPECIFICATIONS. WITH CONVENTIONAL DESIGN APPROACHES AND WITH THE GIVEN SENSITIVITY OF MICROWAVE CIRCUITS TO LAYOUT AND PROCESS DETAILS, EACH DESIGN IS NECESSARILY CUSTOMIZED TO THE SPECIFIC PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS; CHANGES IN THESE REQUIREMENTS MAKE IT NECESSARY TO REPEAT THE DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT EFFORT. THIS PROPOSAL PRESENTS NEW TOPOLOGIES WHICH MAKE POSSIBLE A MODULAR APPROACH FOR ANY OF THE GENERAL-PURPOSE COMPONENTS SUCH AS PHASE SHIFTERS, AMPLIFIERS, AND SWITCHES. THE FLEXIBILITY THAT THIS APPROACH BRINGS TO THE DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT EFFORT IS DESCRIBED, AND ACTUAL DESIGN EXAMPLES ARE PROVIDED TO ILLUSTRATE THE APPLICATION OF THE CONCEPTS.