A 5-GHz quadrature LC oscillator has been realized, in which the two LC stages are coupled with phase shifters. Analysis on the behavioral level shows that an N-stage LC oscillator is optimally coupled when each stage is connected with phase shifters providing /spl plusmn/180/spl deg//N phase shift. Simulation of the 5-GHz two-stage quadrature LC oscillator reveals a 4.3-dB reduction in phase noise compared to a quadrature LC oscillator without phase shifters. Measurements of the 5-GHz quadrature LC oscillator, made in a 30-GHz f/sub T/ process, show a phase noise lower than -113 dBc/Hz, with a resonator quality factor of only 4 and an oscillator core power dissipation of 21.2 mW.

Analysis and design of an optimally coupled 5-GHz quadrature LC oscillator

This paper describes a fractional-N PLL IC based on a new digital quantizer that replaces the DeltaSigma modulator (DeltaSigmaM) used in conventional designs. In combination with a charge pump offset technique and a sampled loop filter the new quantizer enables state-of-the-art fractional spur performance without sacrificing BW.

Spurious -Tone Suppression Techniques Applied to a Wide-Bandwidth 2.4GHz Fractional-N PLL

This paper demonstrates that spurious tones in the output of a fractional-N PLL can be reduced by replacing the DeltaSigma modulator with a new type of digital quantizer and adding a charge pump offset combined with a sampled loop filter. It describes the underlying mechanisms of the spurious tones, proposes techniques that mitigate the effects of the mechanisms, and presents a phase noise cancelling 2.4 GHz ISM-band CMOS PLL that demonstrates the techniques. The PLL has a 975 kHz loop bandwidth and a 12 MHz reference. Its phase noise has a worst-case reference spur power of - 70 dBc and a worst-case in-band fractional spur power of -64 dBc.

Spurious Tone Suppression Techniques Applied to a Wide-Bandwidth 2.4 GHz Fractional- N PLL

The interest in MOS current-mode logic (MCML) is increasing because of its ability to dissipate less power than conventional CMOS circuits at high frequencies, while providing an analog friendly environment. Moreover, automated design methodologies are gaining attention by circuit designers to provide shorter design cycles and faster time to market. This paper provides designers with an insight to the different tradeoffs involved in the design of MCML circuits to efficiently and systematically design MCML circuits. A comprehensive analytical formulation for the design parameters of MCML circuits using the BSIM3v3 model is introduced. In addition, a closed-form expression for the noise margin of two-level MCML circuits is derived. In order to verify the validity of the analytical formulations, an automated design methodology for MCML circuits is proposed to overcome the complexities of the design process. The effectiveness of the design methodology and the accuracy of the analytical formulations are tested by designing several MCML benchmarks built in a 0.18-/spl mu/m CMOS technology. The error in the required performance in the designed circuits is within 11% when compared to HSPICE simulations. A worst case parameter variations modeling is presented to investigate the impact of variations on MCML circuits as well as designing MCML circuits for variability. Finally, the impact of variations on MCML circuits is investigated with technology scaling and different circuit architectures.

MOS current mode circuits: analysis, design, and variability

The increasingly demanding performance requirements of communications systems, as well as problems posed by the continued scaling of silicon technology, present numerous challenges for the design of frequency synthesizers in modern transceivers. This book contains everything you need to know for the efficient design of frequency synthesizers for today's communications applications. If you need to optimize performance and minimize design time, you will find this book invaluable. Using an intuitive yet rigorous approach, the authors describe simple analytical methods for the design of phase locked loop (PLL) frequency synthesizers using scaled silicon CMOS and bipolar technologies. The entire design process, from system-level specification to layout, is covered comprehensively. Practical design examples are included, and implementation issues are addressed. A key problem-solving resource for practitioners in IC design, the book will also be of interest to researchers and graduate students in electrical engineering.

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Integrated Frequency Synthesizers for Wireless Systems

This paper describes a 1.8-GHz self-calibrated phase-locked loop (PLL) implemented in 0.35-/spl mu/m CMOS technology. The PLL operates as an edge-combining type fractional-N frequency synthesizer using multiphase clock signals from a ring-type voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO). A self-calibration circuit in the PLL continuously adjusts delay mismatches among delay cells in the ring oscillator, eliminating the fractional spur commonly found in an edge-combing fractional divider due to the delay mismatches. With the calibration loop, the fractional spurs caused by the delay mismatches are reduced to -55 dBc, and the corresponding maximum phase offsets between the multiphase signals is less than 0.20. The frequency synthesizer PLL operates from 1.7 to 1.9 GHz and the closed-loop phase noise is -105 dBc/Hz at 100-kHz offset from the carrier. The overall circuit consumes 20 mA from a 3.0-V power supply.

A 1.8-GHz self-calibrated phase-locked loop with precise I/Q matching

A 1.8 GHz phase-locked loop (PLL) with a self-calibration circuit implemented in 0.35 /spl mu/m CMOS process is presented. The calibration circuit continuously adjusts the delay mismatches among the delay cells in a ring-type voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) and automatically cancels the phase offsets in the multi-phase clock signals generated from the VCO. An edge-combining fractional-N frequency synthesizer with the self-calibrated PLL has been implemented and successfully eliminates -13 dBc fractional spur occurring owing to the delay mismatches in the VCO.

Ook Kim

Papers

A 1.8-GHz self-calibrated phase-locked loop with precise I/Q matching

A 1.8-GHz self-calibrated phase-locked loop with precise I/Q matching