Print Email Facebook Twitter Analysis and Design of a Multi-Core Oscillator for Ultra-Low Phase Noise Title Analysis and Design of a Multi-Core Oscillator for Ultra-Low Phase Noise Author Ahmadi Mehr, S.A.R. (TU Delft Electronics) Tohidian, M. (TU Delft Electronics) Staszewski, R.B. (University College Dublin) Date 2016-03-11 Abstract In this paper, we exploit an idea of coupling multiple oscillators to reduce phase noise (PN) to beyond the limit of what has been practically achievable so far in a bulk CMOS technology. We then apply it to demonstrate for the first time an RF oscillator that meets the most stringent PN requirements of cellular basestation receivers while abiding by the process technology reliability rules. The oscillator is realized in digital 65-nm CMOS as a dualcore LC-tank oscillator based on a high-swing class-C topology. It is tunable within 4.07-4.91 GHz, while drawing 39-59 mA from a 2.15 V power supply. The measured PN is -146.7 dBc/Hz and -163.1 dBc/Hz at 3 MHz and 20 MHz offset, respectively, from a 4.07 GHz carrier, which makes it the lowest reported normalized PN of an integrated CMOS oscillator. Straightforward expressions for PN and interconnect resistance between the cores are derived and verified against circuit simulations and measurements. Analysis and simulations show that the interconnect resistance is not critical even with a 1% mismatch between the cores. This approach can be extended to a higher number of cores and achieve an arbitrary reduction in PN at the cost of the power and area. Subject CMOS integrated circuitsLC circuitsMMIC oscillatorsfield effect MMICnetwork analysisnetwork synthesisphase noiseRF oscillatorcurrent 39 mA to 59 mAdigital CMOS technologydualcore LC-tank oscillatorfrequency 4.07 GHz to 4.91 GHzhigh swing class-C topologymulticore oscillatorphase noise reductionultralow phase noisevoltage 2.15 VInductanceInductorsPhase noisePower demandTopologyBasestation (BTS)LC-tankclass-C oscillatorcoupled oscillatorsfigure of merit (FoM) To reference this document use: http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:4b221838-d7df-453b-9a91-1772f5989287 DOI https://doi.org/10.1109/TCSI.2016.2529218 ISSN 1549-8328 Source IEEE Transactions on Circuits and Systems Part 1: Regular Papers, 63 (4), 529-539 Part of collection Institutional Repository Document type journal article Rights © 2016 S.A.R. Ahmadi Mehr, M. Tohidian, R.B. Staszewski Files PDF 10610609.pdf 2.69 MB Close viewer /islandora/object/uuid:4b221838-d7df-453b-9a91-1772f5989287/datastream/OBJ/view