VCOOPT: a tool for VCO phase noise optimization

Author

Kratyuk, Volodymyr ; Mayaram, Kartihzya

Author_Institution

Dept. of Electr. & Comput. Eng., Oregon State Univ., Corvallis, OR, USA

fYear

2002

fDate

2002

Firstpage

181

Lastpage

184

Abstract

We have implemented an optimization technique for the automated design of RF LC CMOS voltage controlled oscillators (VCO) with low phase noise given a set of specifications. The electromagnetic solver ASITIC combined with the circuit simulator SpectreRF allows optimization of the VCO circuit parameters and inductor layout. Our approach gives a phase noise improvement of up to 20 dBc/Hz in the flicker noise region and up to 5 dBc/Hz in the thermal noise region. An optimization program for the computer-aided design of on-chip spiral inductors has also been developed. This program allows the designer to obtain the layout of a required inductance value with a maximal quality factor.

Keywords

CMOS integrated circuits; circuit layout CAD; circuit optimisation; circuit simulation; flicker noise; phase noise; radiofrequency integrated circuits; thermal noise; voltage-controlled oscillators; ASITIC electromagnetic solver; CMOS VCO; RF LC VCO; SpectreRF circuit simulator; VCOOPT tool; automated design; circuit optimization; computer-aided design; flicker noise region; inductance value; inductor layout; maximal quality factor; on-chip spiral inductors; phase noise optimization; thermal noise region; voltage controlled oscillators; 1f noise; Circuit noise; Circuit simulation; Computational modeling; Design optimization; Electromagnetic induction; Inductors; Phase noise; Radio frequency; Voltage-controlled oscillators;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Radio and Wireless Conference, 2002. RAWCON 2002. IEEE

Print_ISBN

0-7803-7458-4

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/RAWCON.2002.1030147

Filename

1030147