128.76–129.56 GHz Fundamental Voltage Control Oscillator in 65 nm CMOS

Abstract

This paper presented a fundamental voltage control oscillator (VCO), and its operating frequency ranged from 128.76 GHz to 129.56 GHz. A differential low negative coupling shield switch (DLNCSS) inductor was proposed and analyzed, which helped to improve the tuning range and phase noise of the presented VCO. Meanwhile, an improved transformer-coupled resonant tank, which consisted of DLNCSS inductor and differential varactor using the common-cathode structure, was used to improve the phase noise of the proposed VCO further. This presented VCO was designed and fabricated by using 65 nm CMOS process, which occupied a compact area of 0.23 mm2, including all testing pads. The measurement results showed that this VCO consumed 11.2 mW from a 1.4 V supply and had the tuning range of 0.8 GHz. The output power ranged from −11.8 dBm to −10.6 dBm in its operating frequency band. The post-layout simulation showed that the phase noise at 1 MHz was better than −82 dBc/Hz.

Keywords

• VCO
• DLNCSS inductor
• transformer-coupled resonant tank
• tuning range
• phase noise
• CMOS