An X-band InGaP/GaAs Hetero-junction Bipolar Transistor Based Microwave Integrated Circuit Differential Voltage Controlled Oscillator for Satellite Communications

Abstract

This paper mainly focuses on the InGaP/GaAs hetero-junction bipolar transistor (HBT) which is fully based on integrated X-band monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) differential voltage controlled oscillator (VCO). This VCO is designed and fabricated with HBT tripler circuit techniques for triple multiplication of frequency component of core VCO output. The HBT-based differential VCO circuitry consists of a differential VCO and two triplers. The VCO design is concentrated in high oscillation frequency with the low phase noise by using the tripler circuit. The tripler is the smallest in size, with the lowest power consumption and X-band application frequency. The lowest frequency characteristic enables MMIC tripler differential VCO to be implemented in phase locked loop (PLL) circuit. This approach solves the problem of stable local oscillator (LO) signal. The differential VCO is based on the capacitive cross-coupled differential topology. The core differential VCO achieves the oscillation frequency of 3.583 GHz with the output power of 3.65 dBm, the phase noise of −96.7 dBc at 100 kHz offset and −118.85 dBc at 1 MHz offset at 2.9 V and 30 mA bias condition. At 5 dBm input power, the tripler’s conversion loss is less than 30 dB with bias condition as 3 V and 26 mA. The tripler diferential VCO generates the oscillation frequency of 10.75 GHz with the output power of −25 dBm. The total size of fabricated MMIC tripler differential VCO is 995 × 850 ¼m² area.

Keywords:

• Hetero-junction bipolar transistor
• InGaP/GaAs technology
• Local oscillator
• Monolithic microwave integrated circuit
• Phase noise
• Tripler
• Voltage controlled oscillator
• X-band communication

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Hee-Young Yoo

Hee-Young Yoo was born in Korea in 1978. He received the B. S. and M. S. degree in electronic engineering from Kwangwoon University, Seoul, Korea, in 2003 and 2005, respectively. His main interests are RF/ MMIC system design technologies. E-mail: [email protected]

Ram Krishna Maharjan

Ram Krishna Maharjan was born at Pharping, Kathmandu, Nepal in 1968. He had completed Diploma level in Radio/Electronics Engineering with first division in the first position from Pulchowk Campus, Institute of Engineering, Tribhuvan University in 1987. He had awarded the Honors Scholarship 1989 by the Government of Former USSR for the study of B.S. degree and M.S. degree in Radio Broadcasting/ Communication and Television Engineering with Honor completed from Tashkent University of Information Technology in 1993 and 1995, respectively. He had also got Honors Scholarship Award by the Government of India for the Post Graduate Degree in Satellite Communications from CSSTE-AP (Affiliated to UN), Space Application Centre (SAC) at Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India in 2002. He has been an Assistant Professor in the Department of Electronics and Computer Engineering at Pulchowk Campus, Tribhuvan University in Nepal since October 1995. He has been studying for a Ph.D. in the Kwangwoon University since 2008 under the BK21 (Brain Korea 21st Century) Scholarship of the Government of Korea. He had involved in the RFIC Lab project works of Educational Involvement Project: Brain Korea 21st Century (BK21), 3DRC, Bio RF MEMS, and 3D Fusion Technology. He has been conducting Microelectronics lab and Electronic Circuits lab for under graduate students in Kwangwoon University as a teaching assistant (TA) assisting to Prof. Nam-Young Kim. He has also presented more than 6 papers in both domestic and international conferences especially about the RFIC/MMIC fields. He was awarded the ‘Excellent Paper Award’ by the Korean Institute of Electromagnetic Engineering & Science (KIEES) at Annual Summer Conference 2009 at BEXCO, Busan. He is also listed in ‘Marquis Who’s Who in the World, 27th Edition (2010)’ for his outstanding contribution in his own field as a Professorship and educator.. Besides, he has also involved in various social activities in his village. He is a life member of Society of Electronics and Communication Engineers Nepal (SECEN) and a member of Nepal Engineering Council (NEC) in 1998 and 2000 respectively. His main research fields are RFIC/MMIC circuit and system design. Currently, he is also involving as a researcher in developing devices Integrated Passive Device (IPD) technology. E-mail: [email protected]

Nam-Young Kim

Nam-Young Kim received two Masters and two Ph.D. degrees from State University of New York at Buffalo and Midwest University: the M.S. and the Ph.D. in Electronic Engineering. He also received M. Div and D.C.E. degrees in Theology from Midwest University in 2004 and 2006, respectively. He was a research scientist of for CEEM at SUNY at Buffalo in 1994. After completing a research scientist of CEEM at SUNY at Buffalo, Dr. Kim joined the Department of Electronic Engineering of Kwangwoon University as an assistant professor in 1994. His main research focus is in RFIC device and system, which use wireless application techniques to develop high speed structures in GaAs, Si, and other materials. The founder in RFIC Education and Research Center, Dr. Kim also serves as director for the Fusion Technology Center. His research center of RFIC was honored and sponsored as a ITRC (Information Technology Research Center) by the Ministry of Communication and Information (MIC) of Korea, where he has been acting Director of the RFIC since 2000. He leads the RFIC and RF related Fusion Group at Kwangwoon University, where he has researched with 22 professors. During his career, he has published almost 120 refereed journal papers and 355 refereed conference papers. Dr. Kim has been issued above 40 patents and 35 semiconductor design patents. He has made a donation program from industries to RFIC center as much as 40 million USD of software and hardware which are test equipments and design tools. In 2000, Dr. Kim and his colleagues founded Mission Telecom Co, which is started from RFIC Center of Kwangwoon University a RFIC, to apply commercialized RF application product such as MMIC chip sets and ICS chip sets. The company was merged as Mission Technology Co., to develop and make mass production for commercial application. He also has founded and served as chairman of AERAA (Advanced Electronic Research Association in Asia) which has planted the RFIC research center in Mongolia, Malaysia, Nepal, Cambodia, and so on. He is now the Chairman for Department of Electronic Engineering. His research fields are in the areas of semiconductor device modeling, ASIC, RFIC and MMIC design. E-mail: [email protected]