On the Optimal Operation Frequency to Minimize Phase Noise in Integrated Harmonic Oscillators

This brief aims at finding the most appropriate frequency of operation of an integrated harmonic oscillator in order to maximize its spectral purity. To achieve this, a simple, yet accurate, scalable model is developed for the LC tank, that tracks the dependence of the parasitics on the inductance value. Using an ultra-scaled CMOS digital technology as a case study, the frequencies around 5 GHz are singled out as the sweet spot to minimize the phase noise.