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An integrated 8-12 GHz fractional-N frequency synthesizer in SiGe BiCMOS for satellite communications

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Abstract

We present an integrated fractional-N low-noise frequency synthesizer for satellite applications. By using two integrated VCOs and combining digital and analog tuning techniques, a PLL lock range from 8 to 12 GHz is achieved. Due to a small VCO fine tuning gain and optimized charge pump output biasing, the phase noise is low and almost constant over the tuning range. All 16 sub-bands show a tuning range above 900 MHz each, allowing temperature compensation without sub-band switching. This makes the synthesizer robust against variations of the device parameters with process, supply voltage, temperature and aging. The measured phase noise is −87 dBc/Hz and −106 dBc/Hz at 10 kHz and 1 MHz offset, respectively. In integer-N mode, phase noise values down to −98 dBc/Hz at 10 kHz and −111 dBc/Hz at 1 MHz offset, respectively, were measured.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the European Space Agency (ESA) and the German DLR (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt). The authors thank the IHP technology team for the fabrication of the test chips.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. IHP, Im Technologiepark 25, 15236, Frankfurt (Oder), Germany

    Frank Herzel, Sabbir A. Osmany, Kai Hu, Klaus Schmalz, Ulrich Jagdhold, J. Christoph Scheytt & Oliver Schrape

  2. Silicon Radar GmbH, Im Technologiepark 25, 15236, Frankfurt (Oder), Germany

    Wolfgang Winkler

  3. IMST GmbH, Carl-Friedrich-Gauß-Str. 2, 47475, Kamp-Lintfort, Germany

    Rüdiger Follmann, Dietmar Köther, Thorsten Kohl, Olaf Kersten & Thomas Podrebersek

  4. Kayser-Threde GmbH, Wolfrathshauser Str. 48, 81379, München, Germany

    Heinz-Volker Heyer

  5. Humboldt-University zu Berlin, Informatik, Unter den Linden 6, 10117, Berlin, Germany

    Frank Winkler

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  1. Frank Herzel
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Correspondence to Frank Herzel.

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Herzel, F., Osmany, S.A., Hu, K. et al. An integrated 8-12 GHz fractional-N frequency synthesizer in SiGe BiCMOS for satellite communications. Analog Integr Circ Sig Process 65, 21–32 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10470-010-9454-z

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