Broadway produces: broadband access in busy hotspots European researchers have produced a chip amplifier that provides high-speed wireless broadband connectivity in densely populated areas and WiFi hotspots without sacrificing user connectivity. Digital Economy © Shutterstock The project Broadway aimed to bridge the broadband connectivity gap between the 5\;GHz and 59-65\;GHz scale. The partners used a dual frequency hybrid system employing chip amplifiers to speed up connection speeds. Known as monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs), these chip amplifiers can operate at frequencies of between 300\;MHz and 300\;GHz. MMICs are easier to use than traditional integrated circuits because cascading them does not then require an external matching network. Previously, this technology was the preserve of space and military technology due to high costs and complexity. However, recent advances have led to wider applications in devices where small size does matter, such as in mobile phones. One major outcome of the Broadway project, funded by the EU's Sixth Framework Programme (FP6) for research, has been the design of advanced MMICs for boosting system performance. Prototypes of the various advanced MMIC blocks have also been developed, including single and two-stage amplifiers, branch-line mixers, as well as local oscillator (LO) buffer amplifiers. The project also created a number of test structures for process and design analysis. In addition, Broadway released a package of 60\;GHz custom-designed chips. The overall cost of the unit has to be kept as low as possible. Achieving this, especially considering that the unit operates at 60\;GHz, was an enormous challenge. In an attempt to reduce the cost and to use the in-house 'pick and place' machine, the project pursued a completely novel approach. All the radio frequency (RF) components were located on one side of the unit and all direct current (DC) components on the other. This reduces the RF leakage to the DC components to a minimum and also streamlines the assembly of the units. Broadway's innovations have paved the way for the 'internet anywhere, anytime paradigm' which mobile Europeans can increasingly take for granted.
