A 3-Ghz Reconfigurable 2/3-Level 96/48-Channel Cross-Correlator for Synthetic Aperture Radiometry

We present a cross-correlator ASIC for synthetic aperture imaging of Earth's atmosphere. Reconfigurability as a 2-level 96-channel or 3-level 48-channel cross-correlator provides adaptability to a wider array of applications. Implemented in a 65-nm CMOS process, the cross-correlator is capable of running at clock speeds of up to 3 GHz. In 2-level 96-channel mode, the cross-correlator consumes only 1.1 W at 2.5 GHz and 1.2 V, yielding a power efficiency of 96 μW/prod/GHz. The 450-Mb/s readout speed and double-buffering reduce blanking time of the interferometer system to a minimum.