A 3.75-12.9GHz 204.5dBc/Hz FOMT Tri-Core Tri-Mode VCO With Full-band
Class-C Using Automatic Amplitude Control
Abstract
This paper presents a wideband and low phase noise voltage
controlled oscillator (VCO). The proposed tri-core tri-mode VCO was
designed and fabricated in a 65nm CMOS process. The sixth-order resonant
network of the tri-mode inductor is utilized to broaden the VCO
operating frequency band; VCO output amplitude control is achieved
through automatic amplitude control (AAC) to ensure good phase noise
characteristics of the VCO; The frequency range has been further
expanded through variable capacitors and 3-bit switched capacitor
arrays; Phase noise performance is improved through Class-C operation.
The proposed VCO can be tuned from 3.75GHz to 12.9GHz with an 109.9%
frequency tuning range (FTR). The output amplitude is stabilized at
1.27V throughout the band with an error of no more than 2%, the phase
noise at 1MHz frequency offset is less than -110.7dBc/Hz, the power
consumption is less than 8.8mA, and the bandwidth-integrated optimum
value FoMT is better than 200dBc/Hz.
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