Phase noise degradation of varactor and BJT frequency multipliers in the presence of parametric instability

Abstract

Varactor and bipolar junction transistor (BJT) frequency multipliers are a class of non-linear circuits that show parametric instability when the input drive is varied. If parametric oscillations are present in the circuit, output phase noise of the multiplier degrades remarkably in some specific driving levels. Phase noise analysis is performed by the conversion matrix method using generalised nodal analysis. The conversion method predicts the phase noise degradation precisely because it encompasses the effect of the noise sources that are modulated by the large signal drive. The added phase noise of a varactor and a BJT frequency doubler with subharmonic oscillation is calculated and the simulation results are compared with the measurements. Both simulation and measurements show phase noise degradation in the output spectrum in the presence of subharmonic oscillation.