A frequency synthesizer plays a critical role in defining the performance of wireless systems in terms of measures such as operating frequency range, settling time, phase noise and spur performance, and area/power consumption. As the trend in mobile system design has changed from single-standard systems to multi-standard/multi-application systems, the role of frequency synthesizers has become even more important. : As the most popular architecture, a phase-locked loop (PLL)-based frequency synthesizer has been researched over the last several decades; however, many unsolved problems related to the PLL-based synthesizer are still waiting for answers. This dissertation addresses key challenges related to fully integrated PLL-based frequency synthesizers, including the problem of large area consumption of passive components, the inherent reference-spur problem, and the problem of trade-offs between integer-N PLLs and fractional-N PLLs.

The increasingly demanding performance requirements of communications systems, as well as problems posed by the continued scaling of silicon technology, present numerous challenges for the design of frequency synthesizers in modern transceivers. This book contains everything you need to know for the efficient design of frequency synthesizers for today's communications applications. If you need to optimize performance and minimize design time, you will find this book invaluable. Using an intuitive yet rigorous approach, the authors describe simple analytical methods for the design of phase locked loop (PLL) frequency synthesizers using scaled silicon CMOS and bipolar technologies. The entire design process, from system-level specification to layout, is covered comprehensively. Practical design examples are included, and implementation issues are addressed. A key problem-solving resource for practitioners in IC design, the book will also be of interest to researchers and graduate students in electrical engineering.

Thanks to the advance of semiconductor and communication technology, the wireless communication market has been booming in the last two decades. It evolved from simple pagers to emerging third-generation (3G) cellular phones. In the meanwhile, broadband communication market has also gained a rapid growth. As the market always demands hi- performance and low-cost products, circuit designers are seeking hi- integration communication devices in cheap CMOS technology. The phase-locked loop frequency synthesizer is a critical component in communication devices. It works as a local oscillator for frequency translation and channel selection in wireless transceivers and broadband cable tuners. It also plays an important role as the clock synthesizer for data converters in the analog-and-digital signal interface. This book covers the design and analysis of PLL synthesizers. It includes both fundamentals and a review of the state-of-the-art techniques. The transient analysis of the third-order charge-pump PLL reveals its locking behavior accurately. The behavioral-level simulation of PLL further clarifies its stability limit. Design examples are given to clearly illustrate the design procedure of PLL synthesizers. A complete derivation of reference spurs in the charge-pump PLL is also presented in this book. The in-depth investigation of the digital CA modulator for fractional-N synthesizers provides insightful design guidelines for this important block.

In this book, the authors outline detailed design methodology for fast frequency hopping synthesizers for RF and wireless communications applications. There is great emphasis on fractional-N delta-sigma based phase locked loops from specifications, system analysis and architecture planning to circuit design and silicon implementation. The developed techniques in the book can help in designing very low noise, high speed fractional-N frequency synthesizers.

Abstract: PLL (Phase-Locked Loop) frequency synthesizers are used in wireless transceivers for frequency conversion. Recent directions in PLL frequency synthesizer research and development are to fully integrate PLL synthesizers in CMOS technology, to improve phase noise performance, and to operate wide range of frequency bands and channel bandwidths. Fully integration of synthesizers in CMOS technology is desired for low cost, low power consumption and small size in mobile wireless terminals. Low phase noise is required by digital modulation techniques which have been used in new mobile standards for the efficient use of the frequency spectrum. Operation over a wide range of frequency bands and channel bandwidths are required to support migration and backward compatibility in the wireless standard evolution. This work investigates the PLL frequency synthesizer design and implementation in CMOS technology with focus on integration of wideband VCOs (Voltage-Controlled Oscillators). Phase noise of a PLL synthesizer is a major design parameter. A PLL noise model is developed for noise optimization purposes. Wideband RF VCO design with sub-bands is investigated. Frequency planning, synthesizer architecture and technology considerations are also explored for wideband VCO design. Band switching techniques VCO tuning range presented. Active VCO circuit topologies and resonator design are also presented. The PLL frequency synthesizers are designed and implemented for a multi-band/standard(IEEE 802.11a/b/g) WLAN radio in 0.18um CMOS. Phase noise trade-offs for PLL design are explored in this application. Development and design of a wideband VCO for this application is also presented. An auto calibration circuit is developed for VCO tuning band selection. Another application of the wideband PLL frequency synthesizer is designed and implemented for a fully integrated dual-mode frequency synthesizer for GSM and WCDMA standards in 0.5um CMOS. A hybrid integer-N/fractional-N architecture is developed to meet the multi-standard requirements. Design and implementation of high performance RF VCO depends on the RF models of the devices. RF CMOS characterization and modeling techniques are explored. Microwave wafer measurement and calibration techniques are also investigated for CMOS technology.

This book examines the issue of design of fully integrated frequency synthesizers suitable for system-on-a-chip (SOC) processors. This book takes a more global design perspective in jointly examining the design space at the circuit level as well as at the architectural level. The coverage of the book is comprehensive and includes summary chapters on circuit theory as well as feedback control theory relevant to the operation of phase locked loops (PLLs). On the circuit level, the discussion includes low-voltage analog design in deep submicron digital CMOS processes, effects of supply noise, substrate noise, as well device noise. On the architectural level, the discussion includes PLL analysis using continuous-time as well as discre- time models, linear and nonlinear effects of PLL performance, and detailed analysis of locking behavior. The material then develops into detailed circuit and architectural analysis of specific clock generation blocks. This includes circuits and architectures of PLLs with high power supply noise immunity and digital PLL architectures where the loop filter is digitized. Methods of generating low-spurious sampling clocks for discrete-time analog blocks are then examined. This includes sigma-delta fractional-N PLLs, Direct Digital Synthesis (DDS) techniques and non-conventional uses of PLLs. Design for test (DFT) issues as they arise in PLLs are then discussed. This includes methods of accurately measuring jitter and built-in-self-test (BIST) techniques for PLLs.

The increasingly demanding performance requirements of communications systems, as well as problems posed by the continued scaling of silicon technology, present numerous challenges for the design of frequency synthesizers in modern transceivers. This book contains everything you need to know for the efficient design of frequency synthesizers for today's communications applications. If you need to optimize performance and minimize design time, you will find this book invaluable. Using an intuitive yet rigorous approach, the authors describe simple analytical methods for the design of phase locked loop (PLL) frequency synthesizers using scaled silicon CMOS and bipolar technologies. The entire design process, from system-level specification to layout, is covered comprehensively. Practical design examples are included, and implementation issues are addressed. A key problem-solving resource for practitioners in IC design, the book will also be of interest to researchers and graduate students in electrical engineering.