Abstract:
Low noise oscillators are universally needed in digital systems for clock generation and synchronization, and in radio-frequency communication front-ends for frequency up- and down-conversion. Noise in oscillators results in timing jitter, and limits the clock frequency of digital systems. In radio-frequency communication systems, phase noise in oscillators lowers the signal-to-noise ratio of transmitters and receivers, and degrades the overall bit-error-rate. Therefore, accurate simulation and optimization of oscillator noise performance is of utmost importance.
The focus of this dissertation is on automated analysis, design and optimization of low noise oscillators. Several advances in oscillator analysis that facilitate automated oscillator design and optimization are presented. These include a new sensitivity analysis for oscillators, a design-oriented circuit analysis technique, and an oscillator design optimization approach. The sensitivity analysis calculates sensitivities of an oscillator's periodic steady-state and perturbation projection vector to design, process, or environmental parameters. In the design-oriented approach to circuit analysis the circuit response is computed together with the values of circuit parameters that result in a desired circuit performance. These analyses form the foundation for an efficient oscillator optimization technique that is general and applicable to all oscillator types.
