Design and simulation of L-band coaxial ceramic resonator oscillator

Abstract

In recent years space and military communication technology relying on sensors to monitor and improve subsystem performance by using high efficiency, low noise, small size, low cost & highly reliable components. Many of these subsystem components contain oscillator as one of the key circuit component with lowest phase noise as requirement. A typical RF / Microwave oscillator consists of an active device (transistor) and passive frequency determining element (resonator). This paper proposed a novel design of L-band Coaxial Ceramic Resonator Oscillator (CRO) of 1100MHz resonance frequency by using Skyworks (Trans-Tech) 8800 series coaxial ceramic resonator with dielectric constant of 39. The CRO gives a better performance, improved quality factor, high Q and eliminate the micro phonics effects. The customized user-configurable and parameterized coaxial ceramic resonator 3D element model developed to analyze the oscillator using Electronic Design Automation (EDA) tool. Infineon BFP520 device a silicon bipolar junction transistor (BJT) used as active device for the oscillator analysis. The analysis is done by using nonlinear circuit &electromagnetic (EM) co-simulations so that effects such as the behavior of large signals, the parasitic effects of packages, resonator coupling with routed traces &visa, etc., are taken into consideration. This work can be used in applications like low phase noise VCO (Voltage Controlled Oscillator), tuned oscillators, coaxial ceramic filters, and tuned amplifiers. The L-band CRO's circuit & EM simulation is done by using National Instrumentation/Applied Wave Research (NI/AWR) Microwave Office (MWO) & Analyst environment.