A 1.1-V Regulator-Stabilized 21.4-GHz VCO and a 115% Frequency-Range Dynamic Divider for K -Band Wireless Communication

• Published in: IEEE transactions on microwave theory and techniques Vol. 60; no. 9; pp. 2823 - 2832
• Main Authors: Nakamura, T., Masuda, T., Shiramizu, N., Nakamura, A., Washio, K.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY IEEE 01.09.2012; Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Circuit properties; Direct current; Dividers; Dynamics; Electric, optical and optoelectronic circuits; Electronic circuits; Electronics; Exact sciences and technology; Gain; Impedance; Inductors; microwave and millimeter-wave circuits; Microwave circuits, microwave integrated circuits, microwave transmission lines, submillimeter wave circuits; Mixers; Noise measurement; Oscillators, resonators, synthetizers; Phase noise; Radiocommunications; SiGe BiCMOS; Signal convertors; Silicon germanides; Telecommunications; Telecommunications and information theory; transformers; Transmitters. Receivers; Voltage controlled oscillators; voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO); Wireless communication; Phase noise; Performance evaluation; Electric transformer; SiGe BiCMOS; Ge-Si alloys; K band; Wireless telecommunication; Dividers; Transceiver; BiCMOS technology; Millimetric wave; Energy dissipation; microwave and millimeter-wave circuits; Multistage circuit; Input impedance; Multistage method; transformers; Low noise circuit; Voltage controlled oscillator; Centimetric wave; Mixers (circuits); Tuning; Telecommunication system; Frequency divider; Low-power electronics; voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO); Figure of merit; High impedance
• ISSN: 0018-9480; 1557-9670
• DOI: 10.1109/TMTT.2012.2206400

A 21.4-GHz 1.1-V regulator-stabilized voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) with a dual-transformer configuration and a 115% frequency-range dynamic divider-both based on 0.18-μm SiGe BiCMOS technology-were developed. As for the VCO, the combination of two types of transformers, which exhibit high input impedance and capacitive-input impedance, respectively, provides both wide frequency-tuning range and low phase noise. The measured phase noise of the VCO at a 1-MHz offset frequency is - 109 dBc/Hz with 11.1-mW dc power dissipation (including the regulator). The figure of merit of the VCO is -192 dBc/Hz, which is the best value among 20-GHz-class silicon-based VCOs (to the best of the authors' knowledge). As for the divider, a two-stage single-balanced mixer reduces dc power and increases operation frequency range. The measured operation frequency of the divider is from 7 to 26 GHz while dissipating only 1.15-mW dc power and occupying a small area (0.004 mm 2 ). These performance results indicate that the proposed VCO and the divider are suitable for low-power transceivers of quasi-millimeter-wave wireless communication systems.