An LVPECL-based Phase-Frequency Detector with 15 ps Dead Zone in 130 nm SiGe BiCMOS

A high-speed phase-frequency detector (PFD) based on low-voltage positive emitter-coupled logic realized in a 130nm SiGe BiCMOS technology is investigated in this research work. It is intended for providing accurate and fast phase tracking to synchronize a network of decentralized clocks. With a dead zone of around 15ps, which equals a precision of 5° at 1GHz for symmetrical square wave signals, and no blind zone the PFD is among the fastest reported, while also operating very robustly.