Institutionen För Systemteknik Department of Electrical Engineering
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Institutionen för systemteknik Department of Electrical Engineering Examensarbete High Performance Reference Crystal Oscillator for 5G mmW Communications Examensarbete utfört i Elektroniska Komponenter vid Tekniska högskolan i Linköping av Tahmineh Torabian Esfahani & Stefanos Stefanidis LiTH-ISY-EX--14/4810--SE Linköping 2014 Department of Electrical Engineering Linköpings tekniska högskola Linköpings universitet Linköpings universitet SE-581 83 Linköping, Sweden 581 83 Linköping High Performance Reference Crystal Oscillator for 5G mmW Communications Examensarbete utfört i Elektroniska Komponenter vid Tekniska högskolan i Linköping av Tahmineh Torabian Esfahani & Stefanos Stefanidis LiTH-ISY-EX--14/4810--SE Handledare: Dr. Lars Sundström Ericsson AB Lic. Anna-Karin Stenman Ericsson AB Prof. Behzad Mesgarzadeh isy, Linköpings universitet Examinator: Prof. Atila Alvandpour isy, Linköpings universitet Linköping, 14 November, 2014 ” I am not young enough to know everything. ” Oscar Wilde Avdelning, Institution Datum Division, Department Date Division of Electronic Devices Department of Electrical Engineering 2014-11-14 Linköpings universitet SE-581 83 Linköping, Sweden Språk Rapporttyp ISBN Language Report category — Svenska/Swedish Licentiatavhandling ISRN Engelska/English Examensarbete LiTH-ISY-EX--14/4810--SE C-uppsats Serietitel och serienummer ISSN D-uppsats Title of series, numbering — Övrig rapport URL för elektronisk version http://www.ep.liu.se Titel Title High Performance Reference Crystal Oscillator for 5G mmW Communications Författare Tahmineh Torabian Esfahani & Stefanos Stefanidis Author Sammanfattning Abstract Future wireless communications (often referred to as 5G) are expected to operate at much higher frequencies compared to today’s wireless systems. During this thesis, we have investigated the option to use high frequency crystal oscillators, which along with a PLL, will generate the RF LO signal in the mmW range. Different topologies that consume low power and deliver low phase noise for better channel capacity have been studied and presented. In this report we provide a detailed analysis of crystal oscillator theory and design and we discuss techniques that we have used to simulate our models. During this project we have encountered various challenges such as parasitic oscillation, start-up behaviour and effects from package modeling. All these is- sues are discussed in detail while solutions, examples and results are demonstrated. Finally, along with the crystal oscillator we have also proceeded in the de- sign of a buffer for a better input/output isolation. A squarer has been implemented for greater power savings. Nyckelord Keywords Crystal, Oscillator, 5G, Phase Noise, Buffer, Low Power, PLL Abstract Future wireless communications (often referred to as 5G) are expected to operate at much higher frequencies compared to today’s wireless systems. During this the- sis, we have investigated the option to use high frequency crystal oscillators, which along with a PLL, will generate the RF LO signal in the mmW range. Different topologies that consume low power and deliver low phase noise for better channel capacity have been studied and presented. In this report we provide a detailed analysis of crystal oscillator theory and design and we discuss techniques that we have used to simulate our models. During this project we have encountered various challenges such as parasitic os- cillation, start-up behaviour and effects from package modeling. All these issues are discussed in detail while solutions, examples and results are demonstrated. Finally, along with the crystal oscillator we have also proceeded in the design of a buffer for a better input/output isolation. A squarer has been implemented for greater power savings. Sammanfattning Framtidens trådlösa kommunikation (ofta kallad 5G) förväntas kunna fungera på mycket högre frekvenser jämfört med dagens trådlösa system. Under detta examens arbete har vi undersökt möjligheten att använda högfrekventa kvartsoscillatorer som, tilsammans med en PLL, kan generera RF LO signalen i mmW området. Olika topologier med lågt effektuttag och som ger lågt fasbrus för bättre kanal- kapacitet har studerats. I denna rapport ges en detaljerad analys av teorin bakom och designen av kvartso- cillatorer och vi diskuterar metoderna som vi använt för att simulera de modeller vi byggt upp. Vi har under projektets gång stött på ett flertal utmaningar så som parasitisk oscillation, kick-start kretsar och effekter från paket modellering. Alla dessa pro- blem diskuteras i detalj jämt med att lösningar, exempel och resultat demonstreras. vii viii Slutligen har vi utöver kvartsoscillatorn även implementerat en buffer design för bättre isolering av in- och utsignal. En kvadrerare har också implementerats för att uppnå lägre effekt-uttag. Acknowledgments First and foremost, we would like to thank Fredrik Tillman and Lars Sundström for offering us a research career as master thesis students at Ericsson AB. With the completion of this thesis each of us, Tahmineh and Stef, complete our MSc program in Communication Electronics at Linköping University. Secondly, many thanks to our supervisors at Ericsson AB, Lars Sundström and Anna-Karin Stenman for their guidance and valuable support throughout the whole period of the thesis. We are also thankful to Epson Electronics for pro- viding us the models for prototype high frequency crystals that made this project so much more interesting and challenging. We would like to thank our supervisor Behzad Mesgarzadeh and our examiner Atila Alvandpour at Linköping University. We are grateful for the experiences that they have shared with us during their lectures at Linköping University. I, Tahmineh, would like to express my deepest gratitude to my parents Anna and Reza, from whom I have every thing in my life, to my only brother Forood and to my husband Reza for always believing in me, his support and all the mean- ing that he brought to my life. I, Stef, would like to say a big thank you to my amazing family and my clos- est people, without whom I would not be here today. Linköping, November 2014 Tahmineh & Stef ix Contents 1 Introduction 1 1.1 Background . .1 1.1.1 Ring Oscillators . .1 1.1.2 LC Oscillators . .2 1.2 System Description . .4 1.3 Objective . .5 1.4 Outline . .6 2 Noise Analysis 7 2.1 Types of Noise . .7 2.1.1 Thermal Noise . .7 2.1.2 Flicker Noise . .9 2.2 Noise in Oscillators . 10 2.2.1 Phase Noise . 10 2.2.2 Leeson’s Equation . 13 3 Crystal Oscillators 15 3.1 Quartz Crystal . 15 3.1.1 Equivalent Circuit . 15 3.1.2 Resonant Frequency . 16 3.1.3 Quality Factor . 18 3.1.4 Motional Impedance . 18 3.1.5 Overtone . 18 3.1.6 Pull-Ability . 19 3.1.7 Losses . 19 3.1.8 Drive Level . 22 3.1.9 Aging . 23 3.1.10 Temperature Effect . 23 3.2 Oscillator Design . 24 3.2.1 Poles Location . 25 3.2.2 Negative Resistance . 26 3.2.3 Active Device . 29 3.3 Capacitor Bank Design . 34 xi xii Contents 4 Simulation Results 35 4.1 Core Circuit . 36 4.1.1 Observations . 37 4.2 Common-Mode Feedback . 39 4.2.1 Observations . 43 4.3 Current-Reuse . 43 4.3.1 Observations . 45 4.4 Package and PCB Impacts . 49 4.5 Kick-Start . 52 4.6 Simulation Techniques . 55 5 Tapered Buffers 61 5.1 Power Dissipation . 63 5.2 Squarer . 64 5.3 Simulation Results . 65 6 Conclusions & Future Work 69 6.1 Conclusions . 69 6.2 Future work . 70 Bibliography 71 A 73 B 75 Chapter 1 Introduction 1.1 Background A crystal is a piezoelectric material, usually quartz, precisely dimensioned and oriented. By applying an electrical field between the adherent electrodes of the crystal, the piezoelectric effect causes a mechanical strain, which results in me- chanical vibration of the crystal, acting as a resonator. It is the frequency of vibration that determines the oscillation frequency of the crystal. Compared to other types of oscillators, Crystal Oscillators (XOs) are domi- nant as frequency reference in electronic equipment and applications because of their unique properties including cost, small capacitance and size, speed, as well as frequency stability and precision with respect to temperature and time varia- tions. Such applications are wireless transceivers, digital circuits and time-based measurement instruments. Next, we refer to some fundamental types of oscillators before we provide a detailed analysis of XOs in Chapter 3. 1.1.1 Ring Oscillators Ring oscillators consist of N amplifiers connected in a feedback loop. If we consider a chain of inverters, the frequency of oscillation is then determined: 1 fosc = , (1.1) 2Ntd where td is the delay of each inverter. The transfer function for an N-stage ring oscillator can be written as following: AN H(s) = − 0 , (1.2) (1 + s )N ω0 where A0 is the gain and ω0 is the 3 dB bandwidth of each stage. According to Barkhausen criteria (see Chapter 3 for further analysis) the re- quired phase shift in the negative-feedback circuit must be 180◦, while each stage 1 2 Introduction contributes 180◦/N. The frequency at which this occurs is: ◦ ◦ −1 ωosc 180 180 tan ( ) = ⇐⇒ ωosc = ω0 tan( ) (1.3) ω0 N N The second Barkhausen criteria states that the gain of each stage has to be such that the magnitude of the loop gain at ωosc is equal to unity: AN r 180◦ 0 = 1 ⇐⇒ A = 1 + tan2( ) (1.4) q N 0 N 1 + ( ωosc )2 ω0 For example,√ for the case of a 3 stage ring oscillator shown in Figure 1.1, we derive ωosc = 3ω0 and A0 = 2. Figure 1.1: 3 stage Ring Oscillator. The number of stages in ring oscillators varies, depending on different require- ments such as desired oscillation frequency, speed, power dissipation and noise immunity. In most application three to five stages provide optimum performance (for differential architectures) [10]. 1.1.2 LC Oscillators LC oscillators consist of an inductor and a capacitor placed in parallel.