A Divide-by-Four Transformer-Coupled Regenerative Frequency Divider With Quadrature Outputs

• Published in: IEEE microwave and wireless components letters Vol. 24; no. 4; pp. 260 - 262
• Main Authors: LIN, Yu-Sheng, WU, Cheng-Han, LU, Chun-Lin, WANG, Yeong-Her
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY IEEE 01.04.2014; Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Circuit properties; CMOS; CMOS integrated circuits; Computer architecture; Design. Technologies. Operation analysis. Testing; divide-by-four; Dividers; Electric, optical and optoelectronic circuits; Electronic circuits; Electronic equipment and fabrication. Passive components, printed wiring boards, connectics; Electronics; Exact sciences and technology; Frequency dividers; Frequency measurement; Integrated circuits; Microwaves; Mixers; quadrature; Quadratures; Regenerative; regenerative frequency divider; Semiconductor electronics. Microelectronics. Optoelectronics. Solid state devices; Signal convertors; transformer-coupled; Transistors; Tuning; Voltage; Wireless communication; Electric transformer; transformer-coupled; Current-mode logic; quadrature; regenerative frequency divider; Power supply; Mixers (circuits); Power electronics; Regenerative process; Switching; Implementation; Subharmonic; CMOS; divide-by-four; Complementary MOS technology; Frequency converter; Electric power consumption; Frequency divider; Gain; Frequency mixing
• ISSN: 1531-1309; 1558-1764
• DOI: 10.1109/LMWC.2013.2296313

A divide-by-four transformer-coupled regenerative frequency divider implemented by a TSMC 90 nm CMOS process is presented. A transformer-coupling technique and a source-injected current-mode-logic divider were proposed to increase the injection signal level and widen the operation range of the loop divider. A subharmonic mixer with bottom-switching pairs was used to reduce dc power consumption and optimize the conversion gain. The divider core consumes 6.8 mW at 1.2 V supply voltage. Without using the tuning techniques, the measured locking range is 4.7 GHz (20.9%) from 20.1 to 24.8 GHz. The phase deviation of the quadrature output is less than 0.72 ° .