Promising 5.0-16.0 GHz CMOS-Based Oscillators with Tuned LC Tank

A newly comprehended, CMOS based oscillator circuit design is presented. With tuned inductances and capacitances, LC tank dominantly determines the specific oscillation frequency. Unlike the traditional thinking of avoiding using a resistor, a gate resistor is deliberately implemented to suppress the output voltage, especially within radio frequency range. In addition, the supply voltages, Vdd and v1, indirectly provides the capability of sustaining the oscillator. By adjusting supply voltages to devices fabricated by the standard 0.18 micron CMOS processes, a wide range of frequencies, 5 to 16 GHz, corresponding to different set of L, C, and R is achieved. Low power consumption of a single transistor, such as 3mW, can even be found in this application from 5 GHz to 16 GHz.