D. Kasperkovitz

An optimally coupled 5 GHz quadrature LC oscillator

A 5 GHz quadrature LC oscillator is realized which is based on a new architecture for multi-phase LC oscillators. Each section in the oscillator is coupled with an explicit phase shift of 180 degrees divided by the number of sections. Analysis on behavioral level shows that this maximizes the quality factor, and as a result, the carrier-to-noise ratio and robustness. An effective quality factor is derived which quantizes the degradation in phase noise performance if the sections of a multiphase LC oscillator are non-optimally coupled. The realized 5 GHz quadrature LC oscillator demonstrates that even at high frequencies the additional complexity of the proposed architecture yields a CNR improvement. The oscillator is realized in a BiCMOS process with a cut-off frequency of 30 GHz using an LC resonator with a quality factor of 4. A tuning range from 4.91 to 5.23 GHz is obtained with a CNR better than 113 dBc/Hz at 2 MHz offset. The VCO core power dissipation is only 21.2 mW at 2.7 V supply voltage.

A digitally-programmable zero external components FM radio receiver with 1/spl mu/V sensitivity

A digitally-programmable FM radio IC, implemented in an 11GHz f/sub T/ BiCMOS process, utilizes a low-IF architecture to eliminate all external components. The 11mm/sup 2/ die draws 17mA from a 2.7 to 7.0V supply and exhibits an input sensitivity of 1/spl mu/V.

I/Q LC oscillators with an octave tuning range for TV on mobile platforms

Two I/Q oscillators have been realized that cover a one octave tuning range, and, when combined with a divider and a multiplexer, cover the complete TV band. The realized oscillators embody highly cost-effective key building blocks for tuning systems in consumer ICs for TV on portable platforms. The resonators consist of bond-wires, 8 bit capacitor banks and varactors. One I/Q LC oscillator is realized with integrators, and achieves a tuning range of 412-880 MHz (107% of an octave), and its phase-noise-to-carrier ratio, L(f/sub m/), varies from -101 dBc/Hz to -110 dBc/Hz at 500 kHz offset. Its power dissipation is 35 mW (at 3 V). A second I/Q oscillator is coupled with V/I converters that implement a high-pass function. Its tuning range is 417-836 MHz (102%), L(500 kHz) varies between -111 dBc/Hz and -115 dBc/Hz, with a power dissipation of 23 mW. Both oscillators are realized in an 8 GHz f/sub T//0.6 /spl mu/m BiCMOS process.