A fully integrated VCO at 2 GHz

Abstract

A fully integrated voltage-controlled oscillator at a frequency of 2 GHz with low phase noise has been implemented in a standard bipolar process with a f/sub t/ of 25 GHz. The design is based on an LC-resonator with vertical-coupled inductors. Only two metal layers have been used. The supply voltage of the oscillator is 2.7 V. The phase noise is only -136 dB/Hz at 4.7 MHz frequency offset. A tuning range of 150 MHz is achieved with integrated tuning diodes.