A low power Ka-band SiGe HBT VCO using line inductors

An integrated low power, low phase noise Ka-band differential voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) is developed in a 0.12-/spl mu/m 200 GHz SiGe HBT technology. The use of line inductors instead of transmission lines is demonstrated to be feasible in LC-tuned resonators for Ka-band applications. The VCO operates on 1.6 V and dissipates 3.7 mW of power. A phase noise of -99 dBc/Hz at 1 MHz offset from the carrier frequency of 33 GHz is achieved, together with a VCO figure-of-merit of -183.7 dBc/Hz.