Infineon adds 28-nm CMOS radar MMIC

Automated driving assistance system (ADAS) safety requirements are rapidly evolving, and a high-performance and reliable radar module is key to meeting the latest safety demands. For example, NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) recently proposed significant upgrades, including the addition of four more ADAS technologies – blind spot detection, blind spot intervention, lane keeping support, and pedestrian automatic emergency braking, and is expanding its focus on the safety of vulnerable road users. To support evolving safety recommendations, Infineon Technologies has introduced the RASIC CTRX8181 radar MMIC, the first product in a series of new 76 to 81 GHz radar MMICs based on 28-nm CMOS technology.

(Source: Infineon Technologies)

The CTRX8181 transceiver, according to Tomas Lucia, head of product marketing radar MMIC, enables reliable object separation and detection necessary to protect vulnerable road users including motorcyclists, cyclists or pedestrians.

The CTRX8181 transceiver delivers a scalable platform approach for different sensors including corner, front, and short range. (Source: Infineon Technologies)

A new feature of the radar transceiver is an in-chip digital phase-locked loop (PLL) that allows for faster ramps for better range resolution and ultra-fast fly back times, improved by a factor of four over existing solutions. The feature reduces power consumption and provides the accurate speed information required to separate objects at similar speeds.

Other features include improved signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and linearity to provide high system-level performance and resilience, ease of use, a, and flexibility for new software-defined-vehicle architectures. It also offers a scalable platform approach for different sensors including corner, front and short range.

The CTRX8181 transceiver delivers a scalable platform approach for different sensors including corner, front, and short range. (Source: Infineon Technologies)

Infineon claims that the CTRX8181 transceiver will increase the standard module range up to 25 percent (from 250 to more than 300 meters) and its high RF-channel count enables 33 percent higher vertical or angular resolution. The company recommends that the new CTRX product family is best combined with the company’s radar specific AURIX microcontrollers TC3x and upcoming TC4x.

Engineering samples of the new CMOS MMIC CTRX8181 transceiver are currently available and will be presented at electronica 2022, November 15-18, Munich, Germany.