5 GHz 11-Stage CML VCO with 40% Frequency Tuning in 0.13μm SOI CMOS

This paper presents a manufacturable CML-based 11-stage VCO for digital system clock fabricated in 0.13 mum SOI CMOS. The 11-stage design enables quality oscillation, wide frequency tuning range, and process variability rejection. On average, the VCO exhibits 40% frequency tuning range from 4.23 to 6.35 GHz. The VCO phase noise is -129.8 dBc/Hz at 10 MHz offset in current-controlled measurements, and average FoMT(10%) is -178.1 dBc/Hz. Full 200 mm wafer scan result is presented along the phase noise measurement to demonstrate a statistical methodology.