A Compact Wideband Front-End Using a Single-Inductor Dual-Band VCO in 90 nm Digital CMOS

• Published in: IEEE journal of solid-state circuits Vol. 43; no. 12; pp. 2693 - 2705
• Main Authors: Borremans, J., Bevilacqua, A., Bronckers, S., Dehan, M., Kuijk, M., Wambacq, P., Craninckx, J.
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY IEEE 01-12-2008; Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: Amplifiers; Applied sciences; Circuit properties; CMOS; CMOS technology; Design. Technologies. Operation analysis. Testing; Dual band; Electric, optical and optoelectronic circuits; Electronic circuits; Electronics; Exact sciences and technology; Frequency conversion; Frequency synthesizers; Inductors; Integrated circuits; low-noise amplifier (LNA); Low-noise amplifiers; Magnetic devices; Oscillators, resonators, synthetizers; Phase noise; Radio frequency; Semiconductor electronics. Microelectronics. Optoelectronics. Solid state devices; voltage-controlled amplifier (VCO); Voltage-controlled oscillators; Wideband; Phase noise; Noise figure; Direct convertor; Voltage controlled oscillator; Third order; Low noise amplifier; Compact design; Inductor; Voltage control; Frequency synthesizer; CMOS; dual-band; low-noise amplifier (LNA); Intercept point; Four port network; Wide band; wideband; Complementary MOS technology; voltage-controlled amplifier (VCO); Voltage amplifier
• ISSN: 0018-9200; 1558-173X
• DOI: 10.1109/JSSC.2008.2004865

As CMOS scales down and grows more expensive, area-aware RF front-end design becomes appropriate. A wideband front-end is presented that uses an inductorless LNA and downconversion section up to 6 GHz. Frequency synthesis is realized using a single-inductor dual-band 3.5 and -10 GHz VCO. In-depth analysis describes the operation of the 4-port oscillator, and compares phase noise to that of a classical VCO. The front-end is realized in 90 nm digital CMOS. The LNA achieves a noise figure of 2.7 dB with an average IIP 3 of -2 dBm. The dual-band VCO achieves a phase noise of -122 dBc/Hz and -128 dBc/Hz at 3.9 GHz and 10 GHz, respectively, at 2.5 MHz offset. Both circuits are embedded in a wideband direct-conversion front-end consuming less than 60 mW from a 1.2 V supply.