%0 Journal Article
%T An X-Band low-power and low-phase-noise VCO using bondwire inductor
%A K. Hu
%A F. Herzel
%A J. C. Scheytt
%J Advances in Radio Science : Kleinheubacher Berichte
%D 2009
%I Copernicus Publications
%X In this paper a low-power low-phase-noise voltage-controlled-oscillator (VCO) has been designed and, fabricated in 0.25 ¦Ìm SiGe BiCMOS process. The resonator of the VCO is implemented with on-chip MIM capacitors and a single aluminum bondwire. A tail current filter is realized to suppress flicker noise up-conversion. The measured phase noise is  126.6 dBc/Hz at 1 MHz offset from a 7.8 GHz carrier. The figure of merit (FOM) of the VCO is  192.5 dBc/Hz and the VCO core consumes 4 mA from a 3.3 V power supply. To the best of our knowledge, this is the best FOM and the lowest phase noise for bondwire VCOs in the X-band. This VCO will be used for satellite communications.
%U http://www.adv-radio-sci.net/7/243/2009/ars-7-243-2009.pdf