International Telemetering Conference Proceedings / October 26-29, 1992 / Town and Country Hotel and Convention Center, San Diego, California / The uncertainty in the gain of voltage controlled crystal oscillators (VCXOs) used in the implementation of certain analog phase-locked loops (PLLs) suggests some form of automatic tuning algorithm, both for pretuning and during operation. This paper proposes an adaptive PLL (APLL) algorithm to fill this need for PLLs used in the recovery of tones in noise. This algorithm makes use of a resonant error algorithm to remove the effects of VCXO noise, measurement noise, and parasitic poles. Both classical convergence theorems and robustness theorems that indicate the functionality of the proposed algorithm are given. Finally, the implementation of this algorithm is considered.

In this thesis, voltage-controlled oscillators (VCOs) with improved phase noise are designed and implemented. In the design of the resonant circuit varactor diodes are employed. In practice, a real VCO has to be packaged. The parasitic effect of the package may generate crosstalk inside the VCO and result in frequency shifting. To obtain an accurate prediction, a full wave model is developed. A simulation procedure is established combining High Frequency Structure Simulator (HFSS) with Advance Design System (ADS) software to predict the frequency response at the initial stage of the VCO design. Prototypes have been constructed and the characteristics measured. The simulation agrees with the measured results well. The obtained result show that our study can be used to cut the development time and cost.

This thesis is composed of three parts. In the first part, various kinds of theory to account for injection locking and pulling in the available literature are studied and compared. In the second part, this thesis proposes an experimental setup with self-made hybrid VCO and commercially available equipments and components to measure the characteristics of injection locking and pulling. This thesis also performs simulation to verify the measured results. The simulation mainly relies on the circuit envelope technique that has been developed in our laboratory. Comparison between measurement and simulation shows good agreement in the injection-locking characteristic curves and the injection-pulling spectrum characteristics. In the third part, this thesis carries out an RFIC design for a fractional-N frequency synthesizer with special features on quantization-noise cancellation and PLL nonlinearity reduction using TSMC 0.13£gm CMOS process.

A Voltage Controlled Oscillator (VCO) is used to generate a signal with a frequency that is a function of an input voltage amplitude, and is an integral part of circuits such as phase locked loops, frequency synthesizers, down conversion receivers, and clock generators. A typical design flow for a VCO involves architecture selection based on specification, calculation of circuit parameters, simulation, and iterations of circuit parameters based on the simulation result. In such a design flow, changes in specification or process can lead to significant redesign. This report focuses on a C++ based LC VCO generation software that seeks to automate the design process and that includes calculation of circuit parameters, creation of Spectre netlist, invocation of simulation, automated checking of the result, and a feedback mechanism to modify circuit parameters until the design can converge to the desired specification. Object Oriented Programming principles such as inheritance, polymorphism, encapsulation, class abstraction are exercised to maximize reusability and portability to other projects which may require different foundry device models and supply voltages. / text

International Telemetering Conference Proceedings / October 20-23, 2003 / Riviera Hotel and Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada / M/A-COM has developed a chip set designed specifically for miniaturized ballistic telemetry applications. One key component of this chip set is a dual port voltage controlled oscillator (VCO). This device allows for independent optimization of both modulation and tuning parameters at the chip level. In the dual port architecture, the modulation port of the VCO may be tailored for the peak (frequency) deviation requirements of each system, while still permitting the device to tune over entire SLOWER band. Additionally, M/A-COM has developed S band power amplifiers (PAs) for medium power (500mW, 1W and 2W) telemetry applications. These new PAs are very efficient, (>45% PAE) when operated in saturation. This improved efficiency means these components may be integrated into transmitters with a miniaturized form factor. The excellent thermal performance of these new PAs allows them to be packaged in commercial plastic packages which are robust in high shock/high vibration applications. This paper reviews the design of each MMIC device and presents system performance data.

Cobham Electronic Systems, Inc. has developed a field-programmable telemetry transmitter module for higher-power (0.1W to 25W) airborne telemetry applications. A key feature of the transmitter is high DC to RF conversion efficiency over the entire variable output power range of 25dB through the use of GaN amplifiers. This high efficiency is realized by using a variable voltage DC-DC converter and dynamic bias control of the GaN amplifier elements. This feature is useful in that output power can be tailored to mission requirements and timelines, thereby extending battery life and increasing operation time. The transmitter receives configuration commands and can be programmed through an external data port. The transmitter can be configured for RF power and frequency over the telemetry S-Band frequency range, and has multiple data rates. The unit consists of RF, digital and power supply circuits. The RF transmitter is a PCM-FM type with a phase-locked loop, driver amplifiers, a power amplifier and a digital processor for RF control. The unit contains a digital processor, FPGA's, and flash memory. The power supplies contains all the regulator circuits to supply power to the rest of the unit, variable output drain voltage to the GaN devices, EMI filtering, under/overvoltage protection, a temperature sensor and a digital processor for power control. The electronics are housed in a compact aluminum housing.

abstract: VCO as a ubiquitous circuit in many systems is highly demanding for the phase noises. Lowering the noise migrated from the power supply has been the trending topics for many years. Considering the Ring Oscillator(RO) based VCO is more sensitive to the supply noise, it is more significant to find out a useful technique to reduce the supply noise. Among the conventional supply noise reduction techniques such as filtering, channel length adjusting for the transistors, and the current noise mutual canceling, the new feature of the 28nm UTBB-FD-SOI process launched by the ST semiconductor offered a new method to reduce the noise, which is realized by allowing the circuit designer to dynamically control the threshold voltage. In this thesis, a new structure of the linear coarse-fine VCO with 1V supply voltage is designed for the ring typed VCO. The structure is also designed to be flexible to tune the frequency coverage by the fine and coarse tunable on-board resistors. The thesis has given the model of the phase noise reduction method. The model has also been proved to be meaningful with the newly designed VCO circuit. For instances, given 1μV/√Hz white noise coupled on the supply, the 3GHz VCO can have a more than 7dBc/Hz phase noise lowering at the 10MHz frequency offset. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Electrical Engineering 2018

International Telemetering Conference Proceedings / October 18-21, 2004 / Town & Country Resort, San Diego, California / M/A-COM, Inc. has developed a miniature Tactical Telemetry Module (TTM) for medium power (500 mW and 1 W) telemetry applications. The TTM demonstrates system integration of a multi-channel PCM encoder, lower S-band transmitter, and power regulation onto a single printed wiring board (PWB). The module is smaller than a standard business card and utilizes both COTS and M/A-COM proprietary technologies. The PCM encoder is designed for eight (8) analog inputs, eight (8) discrete inputs, and one (1) synchronous RS-422 serial interface. Data rates of 300 kbps to 6 Mbps are supported. The module incorporates a frequency programmable, phase-locked FM S-band transmitter. The transmitter utilizes M/A-COM’s new dual port VCO and high efficiency 500 mW and 1 W power amplifier MMIC’s. Additionally, switching power regulation circuits were implemented within the module to provide maximum operating efficiency. This paper reviews the design and manufacturing of the Tactical Telemetry Module (TTM) and its major components, and presents system performance data.

ITC/USA 2005 Conference Proceedings / The Forty-First Annual International Telemetering Conference and Technical Exhibition / October 24-27, 2005 / Riviera Hotel & Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada / A miniature 1 Watt Tactical Telemetry Module (TTM) has been developed for the Excalibur projectile program. The TTM incorporates a multi-channel PCM encoder, lower S-band transmitter, and power regulation onto a single printed wiring board (PWB). The PCM encoder is designed for eight (8) analog inputs, four (4) discrete inputs, and one (1) synchronous RS-422 serial interface, with a total data rate of 1 Mbps. The module incorporates a digitally programmable, phase-locked FM S-band transmitter. The transmitter utilizes M/A-COM’s new dual port VCO and a high efficiency 2 W power amplifier MMIC. Additionally, switching power regulation circuits were implemented within the module to provide maximum operating efficiency. This paper reviews the environmental requirements of Excalibur, the design of the Excalibur TTM, and presents electrical and air-gun test data.

International Telemetering Conference Proceedings / October 21, 2002 / Town & Country Hotel and Conference Center, San Diego, California / M/A-COM, Inc. has previously developed a highly integrated transmitter chip set for wireless telemetry applications for the military L and S band frequencies and the commercial 2.4GHz ISM band. The original chip set is comprised of a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO), a silicon phase locked loop (PLL), and a family of power amplifiers (PA's). Using these components, M/A-COM has produced a miniature IRIG-compliant transmitter module, which has been flight-tested by the U.S. Army’s Hardened Subminiature Telemetry and Sensor System (HSTSS) program. Since the initial offering, several product enhancements have been added. The module performance has been improved by tailoring the VCO specifically for direct frequency modulation applications. In addition to improving noise performance, these enhancements have produced improved modulation linearity, decreased lock time and increased carrier stability. Modulation rates in excess of 10Mbps have been demonstrated. High efficiency power amplifiers operating at 3V have also been added to the family of amplifiers (PAE > 50%). This greatly enhanced efficiency allows higher RF power output while maintaining the same miniature form factor for the transmitter. Further, M/A-COM has added a silicon-on-sapphire PLL to the chip set, which operates at frequencies up to 3.0GHz. This paper details the enhancements to the components within the chip set, and the improvement in performance of the transmitter module. Test data is presented for the transmitter modules and individual components.