Design of Multi-layer VCO for 960 MHz Band

In this paper, we present the simulation results of multi-layer VCO(voltage controlled oscillator), which is composed of resonator, oscillator, and buffer circuit, using EM simulator and nonlinear RF circuit simulator. EM simulator is used for obtaining the EM(Electromagnetic) characteristics of conductor pattern as well as designing the multi-layer VCO. Obtained EM characteristics were used as real components in nonlinear RF circuit simulation. Finally the overall VCO was simulated by the nonlinear RF circuit simulator. The material for the circuit pattern was Ag and the dielectric was Dupont 951AT, which will be applied for LTCC process. The structure of multi-layer VCO is constructed with 4 conducting layer. Simulated results showed that the output level was about 4.5 [dBm], the phase noise was -104 [dBc/Hz] at 30 [kHz] offset frequency, the harmonics -8 dBc, and the control voltage sensitivity of 30 [MHz/V] with a DC current consumption of 9.5 [mA]. The size of VCO is $6{\times}9{\times}2 mm$(0.11 [cc]).

960 MHz대역 다층구조 VCO 설계