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CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, NORTHRIDGE DESIGN OF AN OPTIMAL KU-BAND OSCILLATOR FOR SATELLITE UPLINK MODULES A graduate project submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements For the degree of Master of Science in Electrical Engineering By John Lasantha Perera Jayasinghe December 2013 The graduate project of John Lasantha Perera Jayasinghe is approved: _____________________________________________ __________________ Professor Somnath Chattopadhyay Date _____________________________________________ __________________ Professor Ali Amini Date _____________________________________________ __________________ Professor Mathew M. Radmanesh, Chair Date California State University, Northridge ii Dedication Dedicated to All Individuals Contributing to the Betterment of Society With Their Brilliant Knowledge in Science & Engineering iii Table of Contents Signature Page ii Dedication iii List of Figures vi Abstract viii Chapter 1: Introduction 1 1.1 Problem Definition 1 Chapter 2: Design Theory and Analysis 3 2.1 Review of the Literature 3 2.2 Theory of Negative Resistance Oscillating Conditions 5 2.3 Common Source to Common Gate S-parameter Conversion 8 Chapter 3: Design Procedure 11 3.1 Stability Check 11 3.2 Output Stability Circle Characterization 12 3.3 Input Stability Circle Characterization 13 3.4 Negative Resistance Oscillator Design 14 3.5 Terminating Network Matching Circuit Design 16 3.6 Generator Tuning Network Matching Circuit Design 18 Chapter 4: Simulation Results 20 4.1 MATLAB Results 20 4.1.1 S-Parameter Conversion: Common Source to Common Gate 20 iv 4.1.2 Linear Analysis Calculations 21 4.2 ADS results 22 4.2.1 ADS Transistor Model 22 4.2.2 Bias Conditions and Common Source Configuration S- 23 parameter Behavior 4.2.3 Common Gate Configuration S-parameter Behavior 27 4.2.4 ADS Terminating Network Circuit 30 4.2.5 ADS Generator Network Circuit 31 4.2.6 Overall ADS Oscillator Circuit and Results 32 Summary of Analysis 37 Conclusions 38 References 39 Appendix A: MATLAB Common Source to Common Gate S-parameter Conversion 40 Appendix B: MATLAB Oscillator Parameters Calculation 45 Appendix C: ADS Oscillator Negative Resistance/Reactance Measurement 51 Appendix D: MESFET Transistor NE72218 Data Sheet 52 Appendix E: MESFET Transconductance Measurement Circuit 57 v List of Figures Figure 1.1 Transmitter module at ground base. 1 Figure 2.1 The cross section of an N-Type GaAs MESFET with a recessed gate and 4 three epitaxial layers Figure 2.2 Two-port transistor oscillator block diagram. 5 Figure 3.1 Output stability circle (for terminating network). 12 Figure 3.2 Input stability circle (for generator tuning network). 13 Figure 3.3 |Γ in | (z-axis) vs. |Γ T| (x-axis) vs. ∠ ΓT (y-axis). 14 Figure 3.4 Smith chart for terminating network with load. 16 Figure 3.5 Circuit for terminating network with load. 17 Figure 3.6 Smith chart for generator network. 18 Figure 3.7 Circuit for generator network. 19 Figure 4.1 MATLAB I/O screen. 21 Figure 4.2 NE72218 MESFET non-linear transistor model for ADS. 22 Figure 4.3 Common source configuration S-parameter test bench. 23 Figure 4.4 Actual (dashed) vs. ADS model (solid) common source S-parameters. 24 Figure 4.5 ADS model I D vs. V DS plot. 25 Figure 4.6 ADS model I D vs. V GS plot for fixed V DS =3V. 26 Figure 4.7 ADS model Transconductance plot based on Figure 4.6. 27 Figure 4.8 Common gate circuit with series feedback. 28 Figure 4.9 Actual (dashed) vs. ADS model (solid) common gate S-parameters. 29 Figure 4.10 Impedance measurement setup for the terminating network with load. 30 vi Figure 4.11 Smith chart for terminating network with load. 30 Figure 4.12 Impedance measurement setup for the generator tuning network. 31 Figure 4.13 Smith chart for generator tuning network. 31 Figure 4.14 Overall ADS oscillator circuit. 32 Figure 4.15 Oscillator frequency spectrum. 33 Figure 4.16 Oscillator time domain signal (steady state). 33 Figure 4.17 Oscillator absolute noise voltage spectrum (around the fundamental). 34 Figure 4.18 Oscillator single side-band phase noise (around the fundamental) 35 behavior. Figure 4.19 Oscillator open loop response measurement setup. 35 Figure 4.20 Oscillator open loop response. 36 vii ABSTRACT DESIGN OF AN OPTIMAL KU-BAND OSCILLATOR FOR SATELLITE UPLINK MODULES By John Lasantha Perera Jayasinghe Master of Science in Electrical Engineering The following thesis project is based on designing a Ku-Band Oscillator operating at 14 GHz for satellite communication applications. A suitable MESFET transistor in the common gate configuration was employed to achieve a negative resistance (energy gathering) circuit for the core oscillator. The project was segregated into 2 parts: Linear Analysis and Harmonic Balance Simulation. In the former phase, the respective generator-tuning and terminating (for negative resistance) matching networks were designed based on input and output stability circles generated from suitable small signal S-parameters. Initially the required calculations were done manually and MATLAB software was used to further confirm and refine the solutions obtained. Next in the Harmonic Balance Simulation phase, the Agilent simulation software - Advance Design System (ADS) was utilized to implement the overall oscillator circuit and evaluate its main performance parameters such as gain, harmonics and phase noise. viii Chapter 1: Introduction An electronic oscillator is a device that produces a desired alternating current/voltage wave form using a DC power source [3] . Depending on the wave form created, such oscillators typically fall into 2 groups: Harmonic (Linear) - such as sinusoidal wave form oscillators and Relaxation (Non-linear) - such as saw tooth wave form oscillators. Oscillators are generally used in almost all modern day electronic devices such electronic watches, television sets, radios, modems, cell phones and most notably in computers. Specifically, they are used for frequency conversion in RF transmitter/receiver modules, in digital clocks and other synchronizing devices such as PLL circuits and as basic sound sources in electronic warning systems etc. 1.1 Problem Definition Recently, there is an overwhelming need for robust, low phase-noise local oscillators (LO) primarily used in Fixed Service Satellite (FSS) networks where the uplink frequency is usually allocated to be in the range of 13.6 to 14.5 GHz. Figure 1.1 Transmitter module at ground base. 1 Hence this report is based on designing an optimal Ku-Band local oscillator (microwave generator) for the above mentioned FSS uplink (ground base) transmitter modules as further illustrated in Figure 1.1. In addition, the core objectives of this project are summarized beneath. Goals: Oscillating Frequency: 14.0 ± 0.4 GHz Output Power: > 25 dBm Phase Noise (Single Side-Band): < -90 dBc/Hz at 100 kHz Offset Absolute Noise (at Fundamental): < 0.1 V 2 Chapter 2: Design Theory and Analysis 2.1 Review of the Literature Oscillators can be designed in either of two different methods: One using Positive Feedback and the other using Negative Resistance. Since a 14 GHz transistor oscillator is preferred, in this report the latter method is used due to the simplicity and robustness of its design for higher frequencies. In a 2-port design using a transistor, the objective is to add a network to one of the ports to make it a single port unstable device with negative resistance. However in the event that the transistor circuit is not sufficiently unstable enough, it is first considered as a 3 port device and an appropriate external feedback element (series/parallel inductor or capacitor) is added to one of the ports to attain desired instability. Besides three possible transistor configurations can be utilized to design 2-port oscillators: common gate (base), common source (emitter) and common drain (collector). Since common drain high frequency oscillators are difficult to implement, common gate and source arrangements are usually favored [2] . In this thesis, the common gate arrangement is exclusively chosen since it provides the best tuning capability along with the fact that it is the most effective of the three [2] . Furthermore in the following project, an N-Type GaAs MESFET will be utilized in realizing the K U-Band oscillator. Specifically, the NE72218 MESFET transistor has a recessed gate and 3 epitaxial layers: n-type layer, n+ epitaxial layer and a p-type buffer layer. These layers are then followed by a semi-insulating GaAs layer doped with Chromium. Figure 2.1 further elaborates the different regions in the MESFET. 3 Figure 2.1 The cross section of an N-Type GaAs MESFET with a recessed gate and three epitaxial layers. GaAs transistors are usually preferred over Si-based transistors especially in high frequency applications since the GaAs carrier mobility is much higher. Moreover, the electron saturation velocity for GaAs is much larger than that of Si, resulting in a wider operating frequency range. 4 2.2 Theory of Negative Resistance Oscillating Conditions In general, a 2-port negative re sistance, transistor oscillator can be summarized into an equivalent block diagram shown below. Typically, t he Terminating Network consists of the oscillator load; and together with the transistor , provides the nece ssary negative resistance (for power coll ection) to the overall circuit. On the other hand, the Generator Tuning Network determines the frequency of oscillation via a resonator or similar impedance matched circuit. [S] L Figure 2. 2 Two-port transistor oscillator block diagram. Where: ZG & Γ G → Generator tuning network impedance and reflection coefficient Zin & Γ in → Input port impedance and reflection coefficient Zout & Γ out → Output port impedance and reflection coefficient ZT & Γ T → Terminating network impedance and reflection coeffic ient [S] → Transistor S-parameter matrix L → Inductance of inductor 5 In order for the above 2-port device to oscillate, all of the fundamental conditions (shown below) must be met without any exceptions: 1.