LALANNE Mat

SENE Sali

4me anne AE

Report :

STUDY OF DIFFERENT
OSCILLATORS

1er semestre 2009/2010

SUMMARY

INTRODUCTION.1

I Ring oscillator.........2
1 Ring oscillator with 5 inverters.............................................2
2 Ring oscillator with 11 inverters..........................................8

II LC oscillator...............10

III Voltage Controlled Oscillator (VCO).......13

IV High-Performance VCO.........16

CONCLUSION....21

LALANNE Mat
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INTRODUCTION
We have decided to study oscillators, because we were interested in this type of
structure as it is useful in many different types of electronic equipment. Their role is to create
a periodic logic or analog signal (sinusoidal or not) with a stable and predictable frequency.
They are used in different fields, and especially in radio-frequency transmission in order to
generate the carrying signals. We also need this structure to generate the main clock of
processors.
Moreover, there are many different types of oscillators. We chose to study four of
them : Ring oscillators, LC oscillators, Voltage Controlled Oscillators and High-Performance
VCO. We will particularly focus on the frequencys study.

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I Ring oscillator
A ring oscillator is a device composed of an odd number of inverters attached in a
chain, with the output of the last inverter fed back into the first. The output oscillates
between two voltage levels, representing true and false.
The oscillations are due to the switching delay existing between the input and the
output of each inverter. The fastest oscillation is obtained with the minimum number of
inverters which is 3, because it doesnt oscillate with only one.
First, we studied a ring oscillator with 5 inverters.

1 - Ring oscillator with 5 inverters

Figure 1 : Ring oscillator with 5 inverters

Here is the implementation layout where it is easy to recognize the five gates :
On this layout, we can notice that there is no clock as the oscillation appears naturally. We
just need to connect the last inverter on the left to the output with a metal bridge, in order to
obtain the ring shape.

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Figure 2 : Implementation of a 5-inverter oscillator

With the simulation, we obtained a stable frequency oscillation (except at the

beginning of the simulation because it is the transitory mode) :

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Figure 3 : Oscillator voltage variation

A simulation mode displays the frequency variations versus time together with the
voltage variations. We can notice on Figure 4 that the frequency is stable around 13,05 GHz.

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Figure 4 : Oscillator frequency and voltage variation

Disadvantages :

The oscillation frequency is not really stable and not predictable, because it depends
on the characteristics of logic gates, which may vary from -20% to +20% of their value. The
values are also sensible to temperature.

Besides, with this type of oscillator, operating conditions and parameters have an
influence on the oscillating frequency. For example, we studied the influence of the power
supply voltage Vdd.

Figure 5 represents several simulations with Vdd varying from 0.7 to 1.4V. We can
notice a significant raise of frequency when Vdd increases.

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Figure 5 : frequency variation with Vdd

Figure 6 represents a Monte Carlo Simulation, which consists in studying frequency

variation when Vdd is varying in a random way.

We can easily conclude that any supply fluctuation has a significant impact on the
oscillator frequency.

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Figure 6 : Monte Carlo Simulation

We obtain a frequency varying from around 11 to 16 GHz.

However, for our project, we decided to use the ISM radio bands of frequency
(Industrial, Scientific and Medical radio bands), which are not controlled by national
regulations. Their use is free and we dont need any authorization for Industrial Scientific or
Medical use.
For example, we selected the 2,4 2,5 GHz band of frequency which is used by
Bluetooth applications, and the 5,725 5,875 GHz band.
Here, we obtained an oscillation frequency around 13 GHz, that is why we
implemented a new ring oscillator with more inverters in order to get a frequency in an ISM
radio band. However, it is necessary to put an odd number of inverters to get oscillations, that
is why we chose to study a ring oscillator with 11 inverters.

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2 - Ring oscillator with 11 inverters

The more inverters you have, the smaller frequency you obtain. Another advantage is
that the output signal looks better, it is more rectangular like a logic signal.

Figure 7 : Ring oscillator with 11 inverters

Figure 8 : Implementation of a 11-inverter oscillator

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Figure 9 : Oscillator voltage variation

Figure 10 : Oscillator frequency and voltage variation

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The simulation gives an oscillating frequency around 5.81 GHz, which is in an ISM
band, that is what we were looking for.
Unfortunately, when we use more inverters, consumption increases.

In order to improve the disadvantages of this type of oscillator, we studied another

type of oscillator :

II LC Oscillator
LC Oscillator is based on the resonance frequency of a filter LC (

).

In our montage we have an inductance L in parallel with two capacities C1 connected to the
output S1 and C2 connected to the output S2.
On figure 11 there is the schematic diagram :

Figure 11 : LC oscillator

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On our implementation layout on the figure12 we added some virtual capacities and
inductor because their values are easy to change during the simulation. Once the good values
of the capacities and inductor were known, we could implement these components but we
didnt have enough time to do it.

Figure12: Implementation of a LC oscillator

The result of the simulation is on figure13. Both outputs oscillate and a permanent
regime is reached after some eight nano-seconds. A simulation mode displays the frequency
variations versus time together with the voltage variations. We can notice on Figure 14 that
the frequency is stable around 4,05 GHz. This is an ISM band.

Figure 13 : Oscillator voltage variation

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Figure 14 : Oscillator frequency and voltage variation

Disadvantages :
We could have a very stable and predictable frequency on the condition of having
external components of very big precision, what is not often the case, because the values of
capacities and inductances can vary. It will not be so evident to have an oscillation of stable
frequency.

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III Voltage Controlled Oscillator

A voltage-controlled oscillator or VCO is an electronic oscillator designed to be
controlled in oscillation frequency by a voltage input. It generates a clock with a controllable
frequency from -50% to +50% of its central value. The frequency of oscillation is varied by
the applied DC voltage Vcontrol.
Here in Figure 15, we studied a current-starved VCO. Vcontrol is used to fix the
current in N1, N2, N3, N4 and P1, P2, P3, P4. A change on Vcontrol will modify the currents
in the inverters and act directly on the delay.

P1

P2

P3

P4

Inverter

N1

N2

N3

N4

Figure 15 : VCO
Here we have three inverters in the loop but it is possible to put more, it depends on
the oscillating frequency required.

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Figure 16 : Implementation of a VCO

The voltage variations of Vcontrol and Voltage ctr osc are given in Figure 17.
We chose to modify Vcontrol very slowly, in order to see the influence on the oscillations.
We put Vcontrol higher than 0.5 V, because there are not any oscillation under that value.

Figure 17 : VCO voltage variations

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As we can notice on Figure 18, the oscillation frequencys variation is not linear.
The maximum value : 8,67 GHz is obtained when Vcontrol is maximal. It is possible to
modify these values by implementing more inverters.

Figure 18 : VCO frequency and voltage variation

Disadvantages :

It would be better to get a linear variation between time and frequency, because we
will need to use this kind of circuit at a particular frequency, so we will have to fix Vcontrol
and obtain precisely the required frequency, which is more precise if the variation is linear.

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IV High-Performance VCO
Here is the last oscillator we saw, the high-performance VCO. This oscillator consists
of delay cells. These cells are PMOS commanded by Vcontrol in series with NMOS
commanded by Vplage. To delay both fall edge and rise edge two delay cells are connected.
An inverter with low commutation is connected just after.

inverter

Delay cell

Figure 19 : High-Performance VCO

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This is our implementation layout

Figure 20 : Implementation of a High-Performance VCO

As for the previous circuit, we made a simulation with a slow variation of Vcontrol.
The result is on Figure 21. We note more or less important variations of the frequency in
function to the value of Vcontrol.

Figure 21 : High-Performance VCO voltage variation

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We made a zoom on the part which interests us. We see that on this part the frequency
is almost linear. Vplage allows settling the frequency. Here we obtain a frequency close to
3 GHz, which is close to the band of valence of the Bluetooth.

Figure 22 : High-Performance VCO frequency and voltage variation

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One of the problems of this oscillator is that it is influenced by the temperature which
acts on current and thus on the delay. Here we have represented the frequency variations
versus the temperature. For a temperature between -40C and 120C the frequency varies
from 0.4 GHz to 3.750 GHz

Figure 23 : Temperatures influence on the oscillating frequency

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Figure 24 represents a Monte Carlo Simulation, it represents the frequency variations

when Vcontrol is varying in a random way.

We conclude that any supply fluctuation has a significant impact on the oscillator
frequency.

Figure 24 : Monte-Carlo Simulation

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CONCLUSION
This study allowed us to design different oscillators and to compare their
performances thanks to the software Microwind. This software is well-adapted as it allowed
us to study the frequency stability, consumption,
All oscillators which we studied have advantages and inconveniences, and cost
consequently. The choice will concern to the consumption of the circuit. In particular the last
one is all the more successful as it consumes less. In our case P=37W, but the bigger the
frequency is, the bigger consumption is.
This study was very interesting and we learnt very much about designing integrated
circuits.

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