A K-Band CMOS Quadrature Frequency Tripler Using Sub-Harmonic Mixer

• Published in: IEEE microwave and wireless components letters Vol. 19; no. 12; pp. 822 - 824
• Main Authors: KUO, Chien-Nan, CHEN, Huan-Sheng, YAN, Tzu-Chao
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY IEEE 01.12.2009; Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Circuit properties; Circuits; CMOS; CMOS technology; Conversion; Design. Technologies. Operation analysis. Testing; Doubler; Electric, optical and optoelectronic circuits; Electronic circuits; Electronics; Exact sciences and technology; Frequency; frequency mixing; frequency multiplication; Gain; Integrated circuits; K-band; Microwaves; Millimeter wave circuits; Millimeter wave technology; Mixers; Noise levels; Oscillators, resonators, synthetizers; Quadratures; Radiocommunications; Semiconductor electronics. Microelectronics. Optoelectronics. Solid state devices; Signal convertors; Signal generators; Signal synthesis; Telecommunications; Telecommunications and information theory; Transceivers; Transmitters. Receivers; tripler; Voltage; frequency multiplication; tripler; K band; Wireless telecommunication; Frequency conversion; Power supply; Low frequency; Implementation; Transceiver; Millimetric wave; Subharmonic; Doubler; Complementary MOS technology; CMOS integrated circuits; Die; Centimetric wave; Mixers (circuits); Power electronics; Output signal; Local oscillator; Frequency multiplier; Low-power electronics; Signal synthesis; Gain; Frequency mixing
• ISSN: 1531-1309; 1558-1764
• DOI: 10.1109/LMWC.2009.2033529

A low-power frequency tripler is designed by using the sub-harmonic mixer configuration for K-band applications. The proposed circuit features quadrature signal generation, applicable to LO signal synthesis in millimeter-wave wireless transceivers. It achieves conversion gain of -5.7 dB at the output frequency of 21 GHz. Implemented in a 0.18 mum CMOS technology, the circuit consumes power of 7.5 mW with 1.5 V supply voltage. The entire die occupies an area of 1000times1050 mum 2 .