[46]

33–43 GHz and 66–86 GHz VCO With High Output Power in an 80 GHz SiGe HBT Technology

Gang Liu, Andreas Trasser, and Hermann Schumacher

This paper is to be published at Microwave and Wireless Component Letters.

Abstract: This letter presents a signal generation circuit that combines a wide tuning range voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) and a frequency doubler. The VCO provides two differential outputs with different power levels. A push-push frequency doubler is designed and cascaded to the high power output of the VCO, while the low power output is reserved to drive a frequency divider in a PLL. The VCO can be tuned from 33 to 43 GHz, with around 0 dBm output power at the low power output. Simultaneously, signal generation from 66 to 86 GHz is achieved at the doubler output, with a maximum output power of 1.1 dBm at 74 GHz ( 2.5 dBm at 81 GHz). The measured phase noise at the VCO output and the doubler output are 91 dBc/Hz and 83 dBc/Hz at 1 MHz offset ( 112 dBc/Hz and 106 dBc/Hz at 10 MHz offset), respectively. The circuit is realized in a 0.8 um SiGe heterojunction bipolar transistor process, with f _T /f _max of 80/90 GHz. The VCO consumes 81 mA current while the doubler consumes an extra 17 mA from a 4 V supply. The circuit demonstrates the possibility of wide-band signal generation up to f _max with sufficient output power (e.g. to drive a mixer) in a conservatively scaled, low-cost process.

Deutsch		Home	Partners	Sub-Projects	Publications
Publications Publications, alphabetical order Publications 2008 Publications 2009 Publications 2010 Publications 2011 ICC 2009 PR 01/2009 Final Presentation	[46] 33–43 GHz and 66–86 GHz VCO With High Output Power in an 80 GHz SiGe HBT Technology Gang Liu, Andreas Trasser, and Hermann Schumacher This paper is to be published at Microwave and Wireless Component Letters. Abstract: This letter presents a signal generation circuit that combines a wide tuning range voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) and a frequency doubler. The VCO provides two differential outputs with different power levels. A push-push frequency doubler is designed and cascaded to the high power output of the VCO, while the low power output is reserved to drive a frequency divider in a PLL. The VCO can be tuned from 33 to 43 GHz, with around 0 dBm output power at the low power output. Simultaneously, signal generation from 66 to 86 GHz is achieved at the doubler output, with a maximum output power of 1.1 dBm at 74 GHz ( 2.5 dBm at 81 GHz). The measured phase noise at the VCO output and the doubler output are 91 dBc/Hz and 83 dBc/Hz at 1 MHz offset ( 112 dBc/Hz and 106 dBc/Hz at 10 MHz offset), respectively. The circuit is realized in a 0.8 um SiGe heterojunction bipolar transistor process, with f _T /f _max of 80/90 GHz. The VCO consumes 81 mA current while the doubler consumes an extra 17 mA from a 4 V supply. The circuit demonstrates the possibility of wide-band signal generation up to f _max with sufficient output power (e.g. to drive a mixer) in a conservatively scaled, low-cost process.