TurboV wrote on Jun 15th, 2012, 2:41am:Many thanks to both replies. I was thinking whether a single micro controller chip could encompass an all in one solution ? All in one meaning the micro controller, transceiver and the antenna all exist in once single chip. Based on both of your replies it seems unlikely that this is possible.
Vm
What is possible and what is desirable can be different.
Generally the digital-analog are split due to noise.
Some people will put digital-analog in multi chip modules,
same package, different substrate, and frequently different foundry processes.
As well, over the product life cycle, the digital part may get migrated forward
several times. (.18 to .13 to 90nm to....) due to the ease of Verilog process migration.
That's a common strategy in cell phones.
As for the antenna? On the chip? Possible, but generally not desirable.
Why? The physical area needed for the antenna will be more cost effective
as a metal layer on a PCB than a metal layer on a silicon substrate.
FR4 PCB = Cheap,
Silicon = More Expensive
There is a huge business associated with doing embedded antennas as part of the PCB layout.
You got to have the thing on a PCB anyhow, so build the antenna there.