A 0.54 THz signal generator in 40 nm bulk CMOS with 22 GHz tuning range

Author

Steyaert, Wouter ; Reynaert, Patrick

Author_Institution

ESAT-MICAS, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium

fYear

2013

fDate

16-20 Sept. 2013

Firstpage

411

Lastpage

414

Abstract

This work presents a 540 GHz signal generator consisting of a LC-VCO with buffer, implemented in a 40 nm bulk CMOS technology. The buffer is optimized for non-linear operation, to maximize the third harmonic generation at 540 GHz. The third harmonic is coupled to the load by a transformer. To accurately measure the output power, a WR-1.5 probe has been used. The output power is -31 dBm at 543 GHz, for 16.8 mW of DC power consumption. The output frequency can be tuned from 561.5 GHz to 539.6 GHz, resulting in a 21.9 GHz tuning range,the highest reported so far for CMOS THz oscillators. The 3-dB output bandwidth is 5.5 GHz.

Keywords

CMOS analogue integrated circuits; buffer circuits; circuit tuning; harmonic generation; integrated circuit measurement; microwave integrated circuits; microwave oscillators; probes; signal generators; submillimetre wave integrated circuits; submillimetre wave oscillators; transformers; voltage-controlled oscillators; CMOS THz oscillator; DC power consumption; LC-VCO; WR-1.5 probe; bandwidth 5.5 GHz; buffer; bulk CMOS technology; frequency 0.54 THz; frequency 21.9 GHz; frequency 22 GHz; frequency 543 GHz; frequency 561.5 GHz to 539.6 GHz; gain 3 dB; output power measurement; power 16.8 mW; signal generator; size 40 nm; third harmonic generation; transformer; tuning range; CMOS integrated circuits; Harmonic analysis; Inductors; Oscillators; Probes; Transistors; Tuning;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

ESSCIRC (ESSCIRC), 2013 Proceedings of the

Conference_Location

Bucharest

ISSN

1930-8833

Print_ISBN

978-1-4799-0643-7

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/ESSCIRC.2013.6649160

Filename

6649160