A 60 GHz super-regenerative oscillator for implementation in an impulse radio receiver

A super-regenerative oscillator to be used as a receiver for ultra wideband impulse radio signals is demonstrated for the V-band (50-75 GHz). The study is based on experimental and simulated results using a gated tunnel diode based super-regenerative oscillator, which is used as the core of a super-regenerative receiver. Simulated pulse error rates for an impulse radio signal that is modulated by 250 Mpulses/s On-Off Keying, demonstrate the feasibility to implement the circuit in a high data rate receiver for short range communication. Measured data on fabricated oscillators confirm the circuit implementation and also show that sensitivity well below -70 dBm for a continuous wave detection can be achieved.