RF Sampling Receivers for Ka-Band Frequencies

Technology scaling and advances in ADC capability are continuously pushing the boundaries of Software-Defined Radios (SDR) further into the territory of traditional mixer-based architectures. While SDRs promise flexibility, programmability in the field and high levels of integration, the implementation of direct RF sampling up to Ka-band frequencies is still challenging. In this workshop, we discuss the implications of ADC metrics such as ENOB, NSD and jitter on RF sampling receivers and relate the requirements to traditional heterodyne receivers. To demonstrate the feasibility of RF sampling for Ka-band satellite communication applications, we present implementation details and measurement results of a 38GHz bandwidth 12.8GS/s RF sub-sampling ADC front-end in 22nm FDSOI.