SiGe BiCMOS Fabrication Promises Major Advantages For Embedded GPS Applications

Geoff Haynes

Abstract:	This paper starts by outlining some of the technology challenges arising from new Embedded GPS applications. It then moves on to describe the main characteristics of Silicon Germanium (SiGe) BiCMOS semiconductor processes, and shows how this technology has been used to meet these technology challenges by optimising the performance of a fully integrated low power GPS RF front-end Integrated Circuit. An example GPS architecture will be discussed to illustrate a radio and baseband implementation that will help OEMs to minimize size, cost and power consumption in mobile and portable GPS applications. The paper then describes how the CMOS elements of the technology might be used in future to create a single-chip GPS for embedded solutions, by optimising the functional partitioning between the GPS chip and a host platform such as a cellular phone or PDA.
Published in:	Proceedings of the 15th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GPS 2002) September 24 - 27, 2002 Oregon Convention Center Portland, OR
Pages:	677 - 685
Cite this article:	Haynes, Geoff, "SiGe BiCMOS Fabrication Promises Major Advantages For Embedded GPS Applications," Proceedings of the 15th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of The Institute of Navigation (ION GPS 2002), Portland, OR, September 2002, pp. 677-685.
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