Ihp Gmbh - Innovations for High Performance Microelectronics

Peter Weger

Frank Herzel

A voltage-controlled oscillator device with an LC-resonant circuit, in particular for implementing integrated voltage-controlled oscillators for the lower GHz range, is disclosed. The device achieves continuous frequency tunability in a wide range in particular with a low level of phase noise and phase jitter. In the voltage-controlled oscillator, a second inductor can be periodically switched in parallel and/or in series with at least one first inductor of the LC-resonant circuit by way of a switching means actuated with the oscillator frequency. A control input of the switching means is connected to a variable dc voltage. In that respect the relationship of the duration of the conducting state and the duration of the non-conducting state of the switching means is variable within an oscillation period of the oscillator in dependence on the value of the control voltage. In accordance with the relationship of the duration of the conducting state and the duration of the non-conducting state of the switching means within an oscillation period of the oscillator the time-averaged effective inductance is variable in dependence on the value of the control voltage.

Growing community of inventors

Frankfurt-am-Main, Germany

Peter Weger