A novel miniaturized feedback LC oscillator for UMTS-type applications in 3D stacked liquid crystalline polymer technology

This article presents the design and implementation of a feedback LC oscillator in a novel multilayer laminate-type process technology that uses multiple layers of liquid crystalline polymer (LCP) substrate. The 1.8-GHz oscillator is designed using high-quality-factor (Q) lumped-element passives that are embedded in the LCP substrate. The oscillator was fabricated on a large area, high Q integrated process technology employing six metal layers with an overall height (thickness) of 0.7 mm. The microstrip-type oscillator utilizes silicon bipolar device technology and measures a phase noise of −117 dBc/Hz at 100-KHz offset. Including the output buffer, the fully packaged oscillator occupies an area of 5.3 × 4.8 mm2 and, under steady state, the oscillator consumes 10 mW from a 2.7-V power supply. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J RF and Microwave CAE, 2006.

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