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A wideband microstrip VCO can be built only if the phase velocities of all
microstrip lines are controlled. The phase velocity of a microstrip line can be
controlled using several series or parallel variable reactances distributed along
the microstrip line. A series connection is usually used at microwave frequencies
due to the relatively high capacitance of available varactors.
A tunable microstrip oscillator design is shown in Figure 2 .
The phase velocity of the microstrip lines is controlled by
several variable capacitors connected in series in the
transmission lines. The capacitors adjust both the center
frequency of the microstrip bandpass filter and the overall
phase shift of the feedback network. If the spacing between
adjacent variable reactances is kept sufficiently small (less than one-quarter
wavelength at the maximum operating frequency), very wide tuning ranges are
possible.
A Practical S-band VCO
The circuit diagram of a practical wideband, varactor-tuned microstrip VCO
operating in the S-band (2 to 4 GHz) is shown in Figure 3 . The
feedback network includes an interdigital bandpass filter tuned
with six type BB833 silicon, hyperabrupt varactors (0.75 pF
minimum capacitance, 1.8 W series resistance, SOD-323 SMD
package). Several 22 kW resistors are used as resonance-free
RF chokes to apply the same tuning voltage to all six varactors.
Due to the low Q of the varactors used, the insertion loss of the feedback network
is rather high. Therefore, a type BFP420 high ft silicon bipolar transistor (ft = 25
GHz, SOT-343 SMD package) is required as the active device. The DC bias is
provided by a simple resistor network. In order to isolate the oscillator, only a
very small fraction of the RF signal is taken through a resistive divider from the
collector to the output.
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Some components are required only to simplify the printedcircuit-board layout (for example, the series connection of two
4.7 kW resistors for the base bias). Other components are
required to suppress unwanted resonances, such as the two 100
W resistors in the varactor bias circuit. Finally, the VCO is
followed by two buffer stages to further isolate the output, as
shown in Figure 4 .
The microstrip circuit was etched on 0.8-mm-thick, double-sided FR-4 glass
fiber-epoxy laminate. Two different layouts were tested, both
with dimensions of 20 mm x 80 mm, as shown in Figure 5 . The
narrowband version uses higher impedance microstrip lines in
the feedback network, resulting in stronger coupling and lower
insertion loss. The wideband version uses wider microstrip
lines, resulting in weaker coupling and higher insertion loss, but
with wider frequency coverage using the same varactors. All passive SMD
components (resistors and capacitors) are standard size 0805 parts.
If the described VCO is to be redesigned for different frequencies and/or different
varactors, the circuit size first should be scaled. Second, the center finger of the
microstrip bandpass should be tuned to obtain the correct phase shift in the
feedback loop. If tuning of the center finger shifts the operating frequency range
too much, the entire circuit must be scaled again. Next, tracking of the amplitude
and phase response should be checked while adjusting the varactor tuning
voltage. Finally, the amplitude response should be checked both at the desired
frequency and at the undesired higher order resonances of the microstrip feedback
network. This design procedure applies equally to computer simulation and
practical circuit tests.
The VCO's Measured Performance
Three versions of the described VCO were built. The first version was built on
the narrowband PCB 1 with BB833 varactors. The second version was built on
the wideband PCB 2 (also with BB833 varactors). The third version was built on
PCB 1 with better BB857 silicon hyperabrupt varactors (very small SCD-80
SMD package, 0.55 pF minimum capacitance and 1.5 W series resistance).
Several samples of all three versions were built and tested.
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The typical tuning curves of all three VCO versions are plotted
in Figure 6 . The first version covers 2 to 3.85 GHz, depending
on the tolerances of the varactors used. The tuning range of the
second version is approximately 150 MHz wider, covering 2.05
to 4.05 GHz with the same varactors. The tuning range of the
third version extends from 2.4 to 4.6 GHz thanks to the
improved BB857 varactors.
The tuning range of all three versions can be extended by approximately 50 MHz
on the lower end by allowing the tuning voltage to turn negative to -0.7 V. The
tuning curves are quite nonlinear. The tuning slope exceeds 100 MHz/V at tuning
voltages of approximately 7 V and falls below 10 MHz/V at tuning voltages of
approximately 30 V. Since the VCOs were designed for the widest frequency
coverage, no attempt was made to linearize the frequency/voltage response in the
RF circuit.
Since specialized phase noise test equipment was not available, the phase noise
of the available model HP8593EM spectrum analyzer was first roughly estimated.
The phase noise of the analyzer was determined to be sufficiently low to
accurately measure the phase noise of the described VCOs. Two samples of the
first and second versions (with BB833 varactors) were packaged in shielded
cases and connected to well-filtered supply and tuning voltage sources.
The single-sideband (SSB) phase plots, shown in Figure 7 , demonstrate that the
described VCOs are roughly 20 dB worse than the YIG
oscillator inside the spectrum analyzer. Interestingly, the phase
noise is approximately 5 dB stronger at the band center than at
the band edges, suggesting that at least part of the phase noise is
caused by thermal noise voltage generated in the 22 kW
resistors that is modulating the VCO frequency at the point
where the tuning slope is the steepest.
Possible VCO Improvements
Although the frequency coverage of the described VCO exceeds the advertised
performance of commercially available hybrid VCOs, many improvements to the
described circuit are still possible. In particular, the phase noise performance
probably could be improved. Last, but not least, the described VCO design can
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be readily adapted to other two-port active devices, such as GaAs FETs, high
electron mobility transistors, heterojunction bipolar transistors or MMIC
amplifiers.
Part of the phase noise is caused by the 22 kW resistors used as resonance-free
chokes to bring the tuning voltage to the varactors. Lower resistor values cannot
be used since the RF circuit losses increase. True RF chokes (inductors) should
be selected carefully to avoid parasitic resonances in the frequency range of
interest.
The phase noise performance could also be improved by replacing the simple
resistor bias network of the BFP420 transistor. Since the S parameters of bipolar
transistors depend mainly on the DC bias currents through the transistor, the
transistor's operating point should be accurately stabilized to further improve the
phase noise performance.
Both the phase noise and long-term (thermal) stability of the VCO could be
improved by using a better microstrip material than the suggested FR-4 glass
fiber-epoxy laminate. This material has a high temperature coefficient, shifting the
VCO frequency downwards by a few megahertz for each degree of temperature
increase. Besides lower temperature coefficients, suitable microwave substrates
should also provide lower losses and higher Qs for the microstrip resonators.
The nonlinear frequency/voltage response of the described
VCO design may require a linearizer. A simple tuning slope
linearizer circuit is shown in Figure 8 . The gain of the two
operational amplifiers is set to the lowest value around the
reference voltage of +7 V DC (where the VCO tuning slope is
the steepest). At lower and higher tuning voltages, some
positive feedback is switched in so that the overall gain increases to compensate
for the decay that occurs in the tuning sensitivity.
The requirements for the linearizer response could also be estimated form the
varactor diode capacitance (CT = f(VR)) curves shown in Figure 9 . Curves for
the BB833 and BB857 varactors clearly show that the maximum relative
capacitance change occurs between 5 and 10 V. Above 15 V, the capacitance
curves become flat, resulting in a decrease in the VCO's tuning slope.
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Company Profile
Contact Information
Contact:
Phone: (508) 665-4400
Fax: (508) 665-4401
Email: info@us.cst.com
Web Site: http://www.cst.com
Location
CST of America Inc.
492 Old Connecticut Path Ste #505
Framingham MA 01701
US
Company Profile
Contact Information
Contact:
Phone: (800) 829-4444
Fax: (800) 829-4433
Email: Contact_Us@agilent.com
Web Site: http://www.agilent.com
Location
Agilent Technologies
5301 Stevens Creek Blvd.
Santa Clara CA 95051
US
Company Profile
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Contact Information
Contact:
Phone: (781) 376-3000
Fax: (781) 376-3100
Email: sales@skyworksinc.com
Web Site: http://www.skyworksinc.com
Location
Skyworks Solutions Inc.
20 Sylvan Rd.
Woburn MA 01801
US
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