Voltage-controlled oscillator

About: Voltage-controlled oscillator is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 23896 publications have been published within this topic receiving 231875 citations. The topic is also known as: VCO.

Method/architecture for a low gain PLL with wide frequency range

Abstract: An apparatus comprising a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) within a phase lock loop (PLL) that may be configured to generate an output signal in response to (i) a low gain control input and (ii) a high gain control input. The low gain control input and the high gain control input are generally both active.

BEOL embedded RF-MEMS switch for mm-wave applications

Abstract: We demonstrate for the first time the embedded integration of a Radio Frequency Microelectromechanical Systems (RF-MEMS) capacitive switch for mm-wave integrated circuits in a BiCMOS Back-end-of-line (BEOL). The switch shows state-of-the-art performance parameters. The “off” to “on” capacitance ratio is 1∶10 providing excellent isolation in the mm-wave frequency range. Insertion loss and isolation are found to fall below 1.65dB and to exceed 15dB, respectively, in the frequency range of 60GHz to 110GHz. Feasibility of switch integration into single chip RF designs is demonstrated for a dual-band voltage controlled oscillator (VCO). No performance degradation was observed after ten billion hot-switching cycles.

Charge pump circuit

Abstract: A charge pump circuit for charging a capacitor in response to a phase difference between first and second input signals comprises a constant current source for providing a first constant current; a constant current sink for absorbing a second constant current; a circuit for substantially equalizing the magnitudes of the first and second constant currents; and a switching circuit for providing the first constant current and the second constant current flowing in opposed directions to the capacitor through an output terminal of the charge pump circuit in response to the phase difference between the first and second input signals to produce a voltage level across the capacitor corresponding to the phase difference. In a phase locked loop system employing such a charge pump circuit, a phase comparator produces a phase difference signal for controlling the provision of the first and second constant currents by the switching circuit to the capacitor. The capacitor acts as a loop filter supplying the voltage thereacross as a control voltage to a voltage controlled oscillator of the phase locked loop system.

300-GHz InP HBT Oscillators Based on Common-Base Cross-Coupled Topology

Abstract: Two fundamental-mode oscillators operating around 300 GHz, a fixed-frequency oscillator and a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO), have been developed in this work based on a 250-nm InP heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) technology. Both oscillators adopted the common-base configuration for the cross-coupled oscillator core, providing higher oscillation frequency compared to the conventional common-emitter cross-coupled topology. The fabricated fixed-frequency oscillator and the VCO exhibited oscillation frequency of 305.8 GHz and 298.1-316.1 GHz (18-GHz tuning range) at dc power dissipation of 87.4 and 88.1 mW, respectively. The phase noise of the fixed-frequency oscillator was measured to be -116.5 dBc/Hz at 10 MHz offset. The peak output power of 5.3 dBm (3.8% dc-to-RF efficiency) and 4.7 dBm (3.2% dc-to-RF efficiency) were respectively achieved for the two oscillators, which are the highest reported power for a transistor-based single oscillator beyond 200 GHz.

A 475 mV, 4.9 GHz Enhanced Swing Differential Colpitts VCO With Phase Noise of -136 dBc/Hz at a 3 MHz Offset Frequency

Abstract: A new enhanced swing differential Colpitts VCO architecture enables oscillations to go beyond both the supply voltage and ground making it suitable for low voltage operation. Analysis for the oscillation frequency, differential- and common-mode oscillations, amplitude of oscillation, and start-up condition provides insight into oscillator operation and design considerations. Operating at 4.9 GHz, the VCO consumes from 1.9 mW to 3 mW for supply voltages of 400 mV and 500 mV, respectively. The 130 nm CMOS VCO's measured phase noise ranges from -132.6 to -136.2 dBc/Hz at a 3 MHz offset frequency.