A novel heuristic for the optimal design of LC voltage controlled oscillators

Abstract-This paper describes the design and the optimization in terms of phase noise of a fully integrated NMOS Voltage Controlled Oscillator (VCO) using a 0.25 µm BICMOS SiGe process. A three-dimensional phase noise analysis diagram and a graphical optimization approach is presented to optimize the phase noise of the VCO while satisfying design constraints such as tank amplitude, power dissipation, tuning range and start up conditions. At 2.5 V power supply voltage, the optimized VCO features a simulated phase noise of -118 dBc/Hz at 1 MHz frequency offset from a 6.12 GHz carrier. The VCO is tuned from 6.1 GHz to 7.9 GHz with a tuning voltage varying from 0 to 2.5 V, and a power dissipation of only 7.4 mW.

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“…To do so, a program developed in Maple in which we exploit the following expression describing the phase noise model (pn) of the VCO is used [7].…”

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confidence: 99%

Graphical method for the phase noise optimization applied to a 6-GHz fully integrated NMOS differential LC VCO

Mellouli

Cordeau

Paillot

et al. 2011

2011 IEEE 9th International New Circuits and Systems Conference

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Optimization-Based Design of RF-VCOs with Tapered Inductors

Pereira

Passos

Fino

2015

Advances in Computer and Electrical Engineering

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Voltage-Controlled Oscillators (VCOs) are widely used in wireless transceivers. Due to the stringent specifications regarding phase-noise, LC-VCOs are usually adopted. The need for maximizing phase-noise as well as minimizing the power consumption makes imperious the adoption of optimization-based design methodologies. For the optimization of the LC-VCO characteristics, special attention must be paid to the integrated inductor design, since its quality factor may have a strong influence in the LC-VCO phase-noise. Furthermore, designers must ensure that the higher limit of VCO operating frequency is sufficiently below the inductor resonant frequency. In this chapter, a study on the influence of the quality factor of the inductors on the LC-VCO overall behavior is presented. Then, optimization of integrated inductors by exploring the inductor geometric layout is presented. Finally, results obtained for the design of an LC-VCO in 130nm Technology using a previously optimized inductor are presented.

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Combination of Metaheuristics to the Optimal Design of Analog and RF Circuits

Sallem

Kotti

Fakhfakh

et al. 2015

Advances in Computer and Electrical Engineering

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Multi-objective metaheuristics are over and over again used by analog designers. They allow generating a set of non-dominated solutions (i.e. the Pareto front). In this chapter, the authors highlight the fact, via the application of six multi-objective algorithms to the optimization of conflicting performances of four analog and RF circuits, that the generated fronts highly depend on the used algorithm. They propose a solution consisting of combining metaheuristics to generate a “better” front by merging results obtained thanks to different algorithms and the application of a dominance routine. Viability of the proposed idea is shown through examples.

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A novel heuristic for the optimal design of LC voltage controlled oscillators

Cited by 3 publications

References 10 publications

Graphical method for the phase noise optimization applied to a 6-GHz fully integrated NMOS differential LC VCO

Graphical method for the phase noise optimization applied to a 6-GHz fully integrated NMOS differential LC VCO

Optimization-Based Design of RF-VCOs with Tapered Inductors

Combination of Metaheuristics to the Optimal Design of Analog and RF Circuits

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