Challenges in RFIC
There are many challenges involved in creating RFIC's. At the transistor level, various competing technologies GaAs, Si, SiGe, and CMOS. each provide different benefits and drawbacks. Aside from the transistors, the creation of passive devices such as inductors, capacitors, and resistors also pose unique challenges to the IC designer. To create the amplifiers, mixers, and oscillators required in all wireless transceivers, RFIC designers must use clever circuit techniques to boost performance. These wireless "building blocks" can then be connected in different system architectures to achieve the required performance. The goal is to have a single radio-on-a-chip that need only to be connected to an antenna, output device, and a battery.
