• The Journal of Korean Institute of Electromagnetic Engineering and Science
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• v.18 no.5 s.120
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• pp.539-546
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• 2007

In this paper, a 3-D EM simulation methodology for on-chip spiral inductor analysis has provided and it is shown that the methodology can be adapted to the highly predictable design for CMOS VCO. LC-resonator type VCO have fabricated by using standard 0.25 um CMOS process. And the LC VCO layout case which has pattern ground shielded inductors and the other layout case which has no pattern grounded inductors were fabricated for the verification of their effects on the VCO's phase noise by reducing the Q-factor of inductors. Fabricated VCO has 3.094 GHz, -12.15 dBm output at the tuning voltage of 2.5 V, and from the simulation, Q-factor of the pattern grounded inductor has increased 8% at 3 GHz, and from the measurement results, the phase noise has reduced by 9 dB at the 3 MHz off-set frequency for the pattern grounded inductor layout case.