A 44.5 GHz differentially tuned VCO in 65nm bulk CMOS with 8% tuning range

This paper presents a low power, low phase noise mm-wave voltage controlled oscillator. The VCO can be tuned from 41 to 44.5 GHz (8% tuning range) and utilizes a differential tuning mechanism based on varactors and fixed MIM capacitors. Fabricated in a bulk CMOS 65 nm technology, it consumes 3.6 mW and exhibits a phase noise of -106 dBc/Hz at 1 MHz offset from a 41.2 GHz carrier. The resulting FOM is -192.7 dBc/Hz, which is the best reported value for VCOs operating above 40 GHz.