Title :
Design of high-Q varactors for low-power wireless applications using a standard CMOS process
Author :
Porret, Alain-Serge ; Melly, Thierry ; Enz, Christian C. ; Vittoz, Eric A.
Author_Institution :
Swiss Fed. Inst. of Technol., Lausanne, Switzerland
fDate :
3/1/2000 12:00:00 AM
Abstract :
New applications such as wireless integrated network sensors (WINS) require radio-frequency transceivers consuming very little power compared to usual mainstream applications, while still working in the ultra-high-frequency range. For this kind of application, the LC-tank-based local oscillator remains a significant contributor to the overall receiver power consumption. This statement motivates the development of good on-chip varactors available in a standard process. This paper describes and compares the available solutions to realize high-Q, highly tunable varactors in a standard digital CMOS submicrometer process. On this basis, quality factors in excess of 100 at 1 GHz, for a tuning ratio reaching two, have been measured using a 0.5-/spl mu/m process.
Keywords :
Q-factor; UHF integrated circuits; UHF oscillators; electric sensing devices; low-power electronics; transceivers; varactors; voltage-controlled oscillators; 0.5 micron; 1 GHz; CMOS submicrometer process; high-Q varactors; low-power wireless applications; quality factors; radio-frequency transceivers; standard CMOS process; tunable varactors; tuning ratio; ultra-high-frequency range; wireless integrated network sensors; CMOS process; Energy consumption; Local oscillators; Q factor; Radio frequency; Standards development; Transceivers; Tuning; Varactors; Wireless sensor networks;
Journal_Title :
Solid-State Circuits, IEEE Journal of