118GHz fundamental VCO with 7.8% tuning range in 65nm CMOS

This paper presents a 118 GHz fundamental voltage controlled oscillator in a 65 nm low power CMOS technology. Using accumulation mode varactors, the oscillator covers a frequency range from 113.4 GHz to 122.6 GHz, which corresponds to a 7.8% tuning range. This is the widest tuning range in a D-band VCO reported to date. Combined with a variable supply voltage, the tuning range is extended to 11 GHz (9.3%). The VCO draws 5.6 mA from a 1 V supply and the output is higher than -28.5 dBm. The measured phase noise at 118.3 GHz is -83.9 dBc/Hz at 1 MHz offset. The FOMT is -175.7 dB, which is the highest reported for a D-band VCO.