XPost: sci.electronics.design, sci.electronics.misc   
   From: presence@MUNGEpanix.com   
      
   In sci.electronics.misc Tim Williams  wrote:   
   > Hmmm, not a big deal I suspect.   
   >   
   > Build a general purpose RF block for, say, 2.45GHz BT or 802.11(etc), or   
   > whatever.  Give it handles to talk with anything (modulations, bit   
   > streams, etc.), design and build it on a particular fab process, and like   
   > magic, anything incorporating that block will also work.  Monolithic   
   > inductors can be fabricated with not very good Q at 2.45GHz (I think they   
   > usually peak around Q = 10 or 20 around 5GHz), but enough to do "silicon   
   > oscillators" and stuff.  Voltage regulation (bandgap, or old school buried   
   > zener) and temperature compensation are no-brainers, as ICs go.  Want a   
   > DDS?  Just chuck some more IP at it!  Then whatever ancillary function   
   > (moisture, temperature sensor, etc.) simply plugs into this mess of   
   > transistors and functions.   
   >   
   > Quite crazy, as all that circuitry is squeezing into a few milimeters of   
   > silicon, when a few decades ago it was, well of course it was migrating to   
   > thick film before monolithic, but before that, it was all machined   
   > cavities, hand-soldered RF transistors, and microstrip everywhere.  I   
      
   years ago I was given a box of microwave "plumbing" from what may have   
   been a broadcast engineer. The stuff would have worked with microwaves or   
   hydraulic fluid. The guy who made the stuff seemed to be really good with   
   a jewelers saw, copper pipe, brass discs rods and solder.   
      
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