A MEM-varactor tuned, 7.8 GHz differential LC voltage-controlled oscillator

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.sna.2008.01.022

In this paper, design and realization of a parallel plate dual gap MEM-varactor tuned -G(m) LC voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) is presented. The VCO is implemented with AMS 0.35 mu m-SiGe BiCMOS process that includes high-speed SiGe Heterojunction Bipolar Transistors (HBTs). MEM-varactor is fabricated by in-house capabilities and includes six layers and five mask steps. MEM-varactor and VCO is integrated on a FR4 substrate using wire bonder. With the actuation voltage of 0-10 V, 80 MHz tuning range is measured from MEM-varactor integrated VCO that is in the range 7.72 GHz to 7.80 GHz. Fundamental frequency output power changes between -2 dBm and 0 dBm, without the losses depending on the tuning voltage. VCO achieved phase noise of -73.9 dBc/1 Hz.