5-GHz Low Power Current-Reused Balanced CMOS Differential Armstrong VCOs

Abstract

This letter proposes 5-GHz low power differential Armstrong voltage controlled oscillators (VCOs) based on balanced topology. One designed VCO uses two single-ended Armstrong VCOs coupled to each other in parallel by balanced structure. The other current-reused VCO uses two single-ended Armstrong VCOs stacked in series. The former VCO oscillates from 4.96 to 5.34GHz and the power consumption is 3.9mW at 0.6-V supply voltage. The latter operates from 4.98 to 5.45GHz and dissipates 2.59mW at 1.8-V supply voltage. The measured phase noises are about -116.71dBc/Hz and -110.02dBc/Hz at 1-MHz offset frequency from 5.1-GHz band, respectively. The former and the latter VCO have an advantage of low power consumption and provide a good figure of merit of about -185dBc/Hz and -180dBc/Hz, respectively