A 45-GHz quadrature voltage controlled oscillator with a reflection-type IQ modulator in 0.13-μm CMOS technology

In this paper, a 45-GHz quadrature voltage controlled oscillator (QVCO) with a reflection-type IQ modulator in 0.13-μm CMOS technology is presented. An innovative configuration for the QVCO with an IQ modulator is proposed, in which the amplitude and phase errors of QVCO can be accurately evaluated in millimeter-wave (MMW) frequency range. The phase noise of QVCO is better than -99 dBc/Hz at carrier offset frequency of 1 MHz, and the tuning frequency is from 44.8 to 45.8 GHz. For single-sideband up-converter application, this circuit demonstrates a sideband suppression of better than -36 dBc, and a LO suppression of better than -27 dBc. Based on the calculation of the sideband suppression contours, the amplitude and phase errors of the QVCO are within 0.3 dB and 2°. To the best of authors' knowledge, this is the first attempt to integrate a QVCO with a reflection-type IQ modulator in MMW regime for the characterization of amplitude and phase errors in a QVCO and the direct upconversion applications.