A High-Performance Low Power Compact Wideband X-band DCO Based on Transformer Coupled Feedback

This paper demonstrates a low power, compact and wideband oscillator design that is based on a transformer coupled feedback (TCF). The digitally controlled oscillator (DCO) was implemented in a commercial CMOS finfet process and covers 8.83-14.38GHz, a fractional tuning range (FTR) of 48%, with a 1MHz offset figure of merit (FoM) of 184.6-183 dBc/Hz and FoM with tuning range (FoMt) of 198.1-196.6 dBc/Hz. The DCO consumes 3-3.6mW and occupies 0.055mm
²
. The relatively high performance of this DCO is consistent over a wide tuning range, enabling high data rate exchange over broader bandwidth (BW) while keeping power consumption low and occupying a small area.