A low phase noise 26-GHz push-push VCO with a wide tuning range in 0.18-μm CMOS technology

A 26-GHz low-phase-noise and wide-tuning-range fully integrated push-push VCO has been presented in this paper. This circuit is fabricated using 0.18-μm bulk CMOS technology. Only pMOS devices-based cross-coupled pair is used to reduce the phase noise, and the measured fundamental and push-push (second harmonic) phase noise at 1-MHz offset are about −108.1 dBc/Hz and −102.9 dBc/Hz, respectively. Moreover, the VCO achieves a wide tuning range of 14%. Maximum push-push output power is about −14 dBm, and the dc power consumption is 18.6 mW at 1.2-V power supply voltage.