A 175 MHz 72 μw Voltage Controlled Oscillator with 1.4% Tuning Range based on Lithium Niobate MEMS Resonator and 65 nm CMOS

Ali Kourani, Ruochen Lu, Tomas Manzaneque, Yansong Yang, Anming Gao, Songbin Gong

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

Abstract

This paper presents the first voltage controlled MEMS oscillator (VCMO) based on the heterogeneous integration of a high Q Lithium Niobate (LN) micromechanical resonator and CMOS. A LN resonator array with a series resonance of 171.1 MHz, a Q of 410, and an electromechanically coupling factor of 12.7% is adopted, while TSMC 65 nm RF LP CMOS technology is used to implement the feedback and tuning circuit with an active area of 220× 70 μ m2. The frequency tuning is achieved by programming a binary weighted digital capacitor bank and a varactor that are both connected in series to the resonator. The oscilla-tor's best measured phase noise performance is -72 and -153 dBc/Hz at 1 kHz and 10 MHz offsets from 178.23 and 175.83 MHz carriers respectively. The VCMO consumes a maximum current of 60 μ A from a 1.2 V supply while realizing a tuning range of 2.4 MHz (∼ 1.4% tuning range). Such VCMOs can be applied to enable ultra-low power, low phase noise, and wideband RF signal synthesis for Internet of Things.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationProceedings of the 2018 IEEE/MTT-S International Microwave Symposium, IMS 2018
PublisherInstitute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.
Pages567-570
Number of pages4
ISBN (Print)9781538650677
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 17 2018
Event2018 IEEE/MTT-S International Microwave Symposium, IMS 2018 - Philadelphia, United States
Duration: Jun 10 2018Jun 15 2018

Publication series

NameIEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium Digest
Volume2018-June
ISSN (Print)0149-645X

Other

Other2018 IEEE/MTT-S International Microwave Symposium, IMS 2018
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityPhiladelphia
Period6/10/186/15/18

Keywords

  • RF MEMS
  • internet of things
  • lithium niobate
  • oscillator
  • phase noise

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Radiation
  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering

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