Design of Lumped-Component Programmable Delay Elements for Ultra-Wideband Beamforming

We introduce a ladder filter-based programmable time-delay element for beamforming in ultra-wideband (UWB) systems. Such a lumped-element realization becomes possible by approximating e^-std as a ratio of polynomials (based on Taylor and Padé expansions). When compared with conventional methods based on the tapped delay-line architecture, the proposed technique achieves lower power dissipation, higher delay range and resolution, and better area efficiency. A prototype delay line designed for the 3.1-10.6 GHz UWB range achieves a delay range of 140 ps and a gain range of -30 dB to +10 dB. Fabricated in a 0.25 μm SiGe BiCMOS process, the delay element occupies an active area of 1 mm² and consumes 53 mW from a 2.5 V supply. A four-antenna beamforming system using the delay element can achieve a scanning range of ±61^° with 0.86 ^° resolution for an antenna spacing of 15 mm.