Infineon XENSIV™ 60 GHz Radar Sensors

The Infineon XENSIV™ BGT60CUTR13AIP is a 60 GHz FMCW radar sensor built on 28 nm CMOS technology, designed for ultra-low-power IoT and industrial applications. It features an L-shaped Antenna-in-Package (AIP) array with one transmitter (Tx) and three receivers (Rx), enabling the capture of both azimuth and elevation information. Operating within the 57 GHz to 64 GHz range with a 7 GHz bandwidth and 11 dBm output power, the sensor provides a detection range from 0.025 m to over 20 m with a 150-degree field of view. 

One of the key technical features is the integrated Hardware Accelerator (HWA) and bootloader, which facilitates autonomous presence detection and tracking of up to eight targets (range, speed, azimuth, elevation) independent of the host MCU. The architecture supports low-power, duty-cycled radar operation, with average power consumption reduced to sub-1 mW levels depending on the sensing interval. The integrated power-management unit further enables deep-sleep operation with current consumption in the microamp range. With a 26 mm² footprint, these sensors support applications requiring compact, low-power radar-based ranging and motion analysis.

Features of XENSIV™ 60 GHz Radar Sensors

XENSIV™ 60 GHz radar sensors offer compact FMCW sensing with AiP antennas, low-power autonomous operation, on-chip processing, and precise multi-target motion detection. Let’s go through their features in detail:

Antenna Architecture and Sensing Capabilities

XENSIV™ 60 GHz radar sensors such as the BGT60CUTR13AIP use an L-shaped Antennas-in-Package (AiP) design with one transmit and three receive channels. This configuration supports azimuth and elevation Angle-of-Arrival measurements, enabling range, speed, and motion detection across a field of view of approximately 150° (HPBW). Operating from 57 GHz to 64 GHz with a 7 GHz FMCW bandwidth and up to 11 dBm conducted output power, the device achieves detection ranges from 0.025 m to beyond 20 m.

Integrated Processing and Autonomous Operation

The sensors incorporate a hardware accelerator (HWA) that performs on-chip radar pre-processing, motion classification, and multi-target extraction. This reduces system-level processing overhead while supporting autonomous presence detection. The integrated bootloader enables standalone operation, allowing the radar to wake a host MCU only when activity is detected, thereby enabling energy-efficient system operation.

Low-Power and Embedded System Optimization

Designed for compact IoT and consumer devices, these sensors operate with less than 1 mW in low-power sensing mode and reach 0.1 mW in deep sleep. Embedded power management further minimizes consumption, making the devices suitable for battery-constrained applications. SPI configurability provides flexible integration, while JEDEC47/20/22 qualification supports use across –20°C to +85°C environments.

Multi-Target Detection and Spatial Resolution

The integrated hardware accelerator supports simultaneous detection of multiple objects, capturing parameters such as range, relative speed, azimuth, elevation, and signal magnitude. The 7 GHz bandwidth improves spatial resolution, enabling fine differentiation between closely spaced targets. This capability is essential for applications requiring segmentation, movement classification, or tracking within confined indoor environments.

Robust System Architecture and Signal Reliability

The sensors integrate supporting blocks that stabilize RF performance and maintain consistent operation across varying supply voltages of 1.2 V and 1.8 V. Advanced filtering techniques allow masking of specific range–angle regions to suppress unwanted reflections and reduce false triggers. Combined with industrial qualification standards, the architecture ensures consistent sensing reliability for long-term deployment in automated or always-on systems.

Application Flexibility and System-Level Efficiency

With a footprint of around 26 mm², the XENSIV™ 60 GHz architecture supports implementations in smart home systems, building automation, security products, wearables, robotics, and healthcare devices. 

Features such as range-angle zone masking help reduce false alarms, and on-chip processing enables system-level cost optimization by reducing external computation requirements. Manufactured in 28 nm RF CMOS technology, the MMIC integrates LDO and XTAL blocks, as well as a Hardware Accelerator (HWA) for processing. The high level of on-chip integration helps reduce external component count, contributing to lower system BOM and simplified design integration. These characteristics make the sensors suitable for functions including presence detection, gesture interfaces, clutter localization, fall detection, and vital-sign sensing.