MMW Key Components for an Ultra-Wideband Phase-Locked Loop
Date Issued
2009
Date
2009
Author(s)
Chen, Chung-Chun
Abstract
The aim of this dissertation is to develop the key components in a millimeter-wave (MMW) ultra-wideband phase-locked loop (PLL), namely an ultra-wide tuning range voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) and a wide input locking range injection-locked frequency divider (ILFD). Owing to the increasing demand for high-speed data transmission, broadband and MMW frequency bands have been allocated for high-speed wireless transmission. Therefore, an ultra-wideband MMW PLL is required in a MMW wireless broadband transceiver to generate the required clock or local oscillator (LO) source. However, such an ultra-wideband PLL is limited by the lack of an ultra-wide tuning range VCO and a wide input locking range ILFD. Therefore, in this dissertation, an ultra-wide tuning range VCO is developed using the topology of a ring-based triple-push VCO and advanced CMOS technology. The analytical and design considerations of this VCO are described in detail. The experimental results demonstrate the ultra-wide tuning range, the widest reported to date. Although the phase noise of this VCO is mediocre, this wide tuning range facilitates the realization of an ultra-wideband PLL. In addition to an ultra-wide tuning range VCO, a wide input locking range ILFD is also necessary. ILFDs can be classified into two types: LC-type and ring-type. For lower operating frequencies, an inductor-less ring-type (divide-by-four) D4 ILFD is developed using the in-phase injection method. The analytical and design considerations are described. The experimental results demonstrate that this D4 ILFD achieves a wide input locking range. Although this ring-type D4 ILFD may not operate at very high frequencies, operating with a multi-push VCO, this ILFD may be the first-stage frequency divider (FD) in a MMW PLL for transmission applications. For higher operating frequencies, LC-type V-band (50-75 GHz) and W-band (75-110 GHz) ILFDs are developed with a proposed dual-mixing technique. The voltage conversion gain is introduced and the formulas for the dual-mixing ILFD are derived to explain the wide input locking ranges. Design considerations and procedures are also described in detail. According to the design guidelines, the V-band (divide-by-two) D2 ILFD achieves an input locking of almost the full V-band without any tuning mechanism. This wide input locking range also facilitates the realization of an ultra-wideband PLL. Furthermore, the proposed W-band D4 ILFD solves the input locking range mismatch between the first-stage ILFD and the second-stage FD at considerably high operating frequencies. Although the W-band ILFD does not have as wide an input locking range as the V-band D2 ILFD, it has a sufficient input locking range as compared with prior arts.
Subjects
CMOS
injection-locked frequency divider (ILFD)
millimeter-wave (MMW)
multi-push
phase-locked loop (PLL)
triple-push
voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO)
wide input locking range
wide tuning range
Type
thesis
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