Intel Corporation
Coupled frequency doubler with frequency tracking loop

Abstract:

A frequency doubler (tripler, or quadrupler) employs current re-use coupled oscillator technique to enhance phase noise without increasing current consumption. Frequency doubler uses coupling between two oscillators running at different frequencies; a first oscillator is running at the target frequency and a second oscillator is running at half the frequency. The coupling between the two oscillators is via a transformer having a primary transformer coil and a secondary transformer coil. The first oscillator comprises a differential inductor, coarse/fine tuning capacitor arrays, and an n-type trans-conductor (GM). A virtual ground node of the n-type GM is coupled to one side of the primary transformer coil and the other side of the primary coil is coupled to the center tap of the secondary coil. The second oscillator comprises the secondary coil, coarse/fine tuning capacitor arrays, n-type GM, frequency tracking loop (FTL) and 2.sup.nd-harmonic LC filter network.