274-GHz CMOS Signal Generator with an On-Chip Patch Antenna in a QFN Package

A 274-GHz signal generator with an on-chip antenna in a quad-flat no-leads (QFN) package is demonstrated. The circuit is fabricated in a 65-nm Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) process. The effective isotropic radiated power (EIRP) measured from the packaged signal generator is -12.8-dBm at 274GHz with DC power consumption of 26.3mW. The packaging material can help improve the antenna performance, and integrated circuits with on-chip antennas operating at ~300GHz can be packaged using low-cost techniques.