The TRA_240_091 from Indie Semiconductor is a Radar Front End (RFE) that operates in the ISM band of 222.5 to 267.5 GHz. The 45 GHz bandwidth gives it a radar range resolution down to 6 mm in air and better than 6 mm for other materials with a refractive index higher than one with the maximum range reaching several meters depending on the gain of the lens that is used. It has a Tx output power of 2 dBm and an Rx gain of 18 dB. This RFE has a phase noise of -110 dBc/Hz and a noise figure of 15.7 dB. It is fabricated in IHP GmbH’s SG13G2 SiGe BiCMOS technology and has a 13.5 GHz voltage-controlled oscillator, divide-by-8 frequency divider, an SPDT switch, a frequency multiplier-by-9 chain, frequency doublers, mixers, a low-noise amplifier, a power amplifier, an antenna-coupler and integrated on-chip antenna.
The TRA_240_091’s VCO has two analog tuning inputs with different tuning ranges and tuning slopes. These analog tuning inputs together with the integrated frequency divider and external fractional-N PLL can be used for frequency-modulated continuous wave (FMCW) radar operation. It can also be used in continuous wave (CW) operation with a fixed oscillator. This radio front end requires a DC supply of 3.3 V and consumes 260 mA of current. It is available in a QFN package that measures 5 x 5 x 0.4 mm and is ideal for short-range radar systems that require a high range resolution.
