High-performance differential VCO based on Armstrong oscillator topology

A symmetric topology based on the classical Armstrong's oscillator was developed and implemented as a fully monolithic voltage-controlled oscillator using ST Microelectronics' 0.35-/spl mu/m BICMOS process (f/sub T/=35 GHz). It oscillates at a center frequency of 4.4 GHz, has a tuning range of 1.0 GHz, delivers a single-ended output power of -6.5 dBm, and the minimum current consumption is less than 4 mA from a 2.5-V power supply. The phase noise is -125 dBc/Hz, measured at 3-MHz offset.

[1]  P. Jarske,et al.  New low-power GHz-range resonance-ring ICO/VCO , 1996, Proceedings of Third International Conference on Electronics, Circuits, and Systems.

[2]  D. Leeson.  A simple model of feedback oscillator noise spectrum , 1966 .

[3]  R. Gotzfried,et al.  A DECT transceiver chip set using SiGe technology , 1999, 1999 IEEE International Solid-State Circuits Conference. Digest of Technical Papers. ISSCC. First Edition (Cat. No.99CH36278).

[4]  Michiel Steyaert,et al.  A 1.8-GHz low-phase-noise CMOS VCO using optimized hollow spiral inductors , 1997, IEEE J. Solid State Circuits.

[5]  R.G. Meyer,et al.  A 2.5 GHz BiCMOS transceiver for wireless LAN , 1997, 1997 IEEE International Solids-State Circuits Conference. Digest of Technical Papers.

[6]  T. Endo,et al.  A 2.7 V GSM RF transceiver IC , 1997, 1997 IEEE International Solids-State Circuits Conference. Digest of Technical Papers.

[7]  A. Niknejad,et al.  Fully–integrated low phase noise bipolar differential VCOs at 2.9 and 4.4 GHz , 1999 .

[8]  B. Razavi,et al.  A 900-MHz/1.8-GHz CMOS transmitter for dual-band applications , 1998, 1998 Symposium on VLSI Circuits. Digest of Technical Papers (Cat. No.98CH36215).

[9]  T. Morimoto,et al.  A 20 mA-receive 55 mA-transmit GSM transceiver in 0.25 /spl mu/m CMOS , 1999, 1999 IEEE International Solid-State Circuits Conference. Digest of Technical Papers. ISSCC. First Edition (Cat. No.99CH36278).

[10]  Robert G. Meyer,et al.  Analysis and Design of Analog Integrated Circuits , 1993 .

[11]  E.H. Armstrong.  Some Recent Developments In The Audion Receiver , 1997, Proceedings of the IEEE.

[12]  R. Weigel,et al.  A fully integrated VCO at 2 GHz , 1998, 1998 IEEE International Solid-State Circuits Conference. Digest of Technical Papers, ISSCC. First Edition (Cat. No.98CH36156).