Spread-spectrum clock generation with ferroelectric capacitor-tuned VCOs

Spread-spectrum clock generation (SSCG) with barium strontium titanate (BST) ferroelectric capacitor-tuned voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) is described. The performance of this VCO is compared with conventional diode-tuned VCOs. For a simple sinusoidal modulation waveform, a BST capacitor VCO shows uniform spread of energy over a frequency band width compared with a diode-tuned VCO with significant reduction in peak power, reducing the electromagnetic interference (EMI).