Abstract

This paper presents a fully integrated 5 GHz voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) with a wide frequency tuning range based on an InP-based RTD/HBT technology. In order to increase the frequency tuning range of the VCO, the base-to-collector p-n junction of HBT is exploited as a varactor of an LC resonator. The VCO generates a maximum output power of -19.5 dBm which is operated at a bias current of 9.5 mA and a supply voltage of 0.8 V with a corresponding DC power consumption of about 7.6 mW. The fabricated RTD/HBT VCO shows a wide frequency tuning range of 710 MHz. In addition, a low phase noise of - 115 dBc/Hz at 1 MHz offset was obtained.