INF4420

Ring oscillators

Spring 2012 Jørgen Andreas Michaelsen

([email protected])
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Outline

Barkhausen

criterion Ring

oscillators

Voltage controlled

oscillators Oscillator

INF4420 Spring 2012 Ring Jørgen Andreas Michaelsen

oscillators ([email protected])
 phase model
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INF4420 Spring 2012 Ring Jørgen Andreas Michaelsen

oscillators ([email protected])
 Introduction
Oscillators are used for
synchronizing computation in a
digital system, timing the
sampling in a data converter,
carrier synthesis and LO in RF
systems, etc ...
Image: Openclipart.org

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Introduction
Different applications have very different
requirements on accuracy and stability
(e.g. jitter in data converters, timing
violations, BER, etc.)
Crystal oscillators are
used for demanding
applications.
Excellent stability
and frequency
accuracy. Speed
limitation and cost
issues.
INF4420 Spring 2012 Ring Jørgen Andreas Michaelsen
oscillators ([email protected])
 4 / 31

INF4420 Spring 2012 Ring Jørgen Andreas Michaelsen

oscillators ([email protected])
 Feedback system

Usually, we want the feedback system

(amplifier) to be stable (difficult to
guarantee stability). Now we want to
ensure sustained oscillation at a fixed
frequency (also difficult).
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Feedback system

Phase shift of 180 degrees at some

frequency, ω0, gives positive feedback.
Each time the signal "goes around the
loop". Amplifier input, Vx, grows
indefinitely if |H(jω0)| > 1

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INF4420 Spring 2012 Ring Jørgen Andreas Michaelsen

oscillators ([email protected])
 Barkhausen criterion
The Barkhausen stability criterion is
necessary but not sufficient for oscillation.

The criteria for oscillation is not well

understood, there is no known sufficient
criteria for oscillation.
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Oscillators
LC oscillator, inductor, L, and capacitor,
C, to generate resonance

Used mostly for RF (inductors are

expensive and impractical).
Relaxation oscillators typically relies on
charging and discharging a capacitor.
Some active circuit will monitor and
switch charging at a threshold.
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INF4420 Spring 2012 Ring Jørgen Andreas Michaelsen

oscillators ([email protected])
 Ring oscillator
Ring oscillators are made from gain
stages, or delay stages, in feedback.

We will first do a linear analysis of these

oscillators with common source (CS)
elements.
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Ring oscillator
A single CS stage in
feedback will not
oscillate, because it
does not fulfill the
Barkhausen
criteria.

The CS stage is
inverting (180°) and
has one pole (90°),
270° phase shift in
total.
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INF4420 Spring 2012 Ring Jørgen Andreas Michaelsen

oscillators ([email protected])
INF4420 Spring 2012 Ring Jørgen Andreas Michaelsen
oscillators ([email protected])
 Ring oscillator
Using two CS stages gives the required
phase shift, but it is stable at either rail.

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Ring oscillator
Still no sustained oscillation because the
gain is much less than one when phase is
inverted.

Ideal

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INF4420 Spring 2012 Ring Jørgen Andreas Michaelsen

oscillators ([email protected])
 Ring oscillator
Three CS stages are enough for sustained
oscillation provided the gain of each
stage is sufficient (in this case, A0 ≥ 2).

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Ring oscillator
If the gain of each stage is larger than
necessary, A0 > 2, the output will
saturate and linear analysis becomes
difficult.

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INF4420 Spring 2012 Ring Jørgen Andreas Michaelsen

oscillators ([email protected])
 Ring oscillator

The frequency of oscillation becomes 1 /

(2n τ), where n is the number of elements,
and τ is the
delay due to each element (inverter in
this case).
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Fully differential oscillator

Single ended oscillators are power
efficient and capable of rail-to-rail output.
However, as we now know, in mixed
signal circuits there is supply and
substrate noise which couples directly
into the oscillator, or modulates its supply
voltage. Causing undesirable fluctuations
in the period time of the output signal.

Fully differential circuits have CMRR and

PSRR to combat this!
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INF4420 Spring 2012 Ring Jørgen Andreas Michaelsen

oscillators ([email protected])
 Fully differential oscillator
The trip point for each stage is now the
crossing of the inputs rather than a
fraction of Vdd. Ideally, coupled noise will
only affect the common mode. However,
swing is not rail-to- rail.

In addition to rejecting coupling noise,

the fully differential oscillator allows the
number of stages to be even, which is a
significant advantage if we need to
generate a number of output phases.
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Fully differential oscillator

Constant
bias
current.

In most cases, the

resistors will be
implemented by
MOS transistors,
requiring a bias
circuit.
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INF4420 Spring 2012 Ring Jørgen Andreas Michaelsen

oscillators ([email protected])
 Symmetric load delay cell
Popular choice
for
implementing
the fully
differential
delay cell.

The symmetric
load
approximates a
voltage
controlled
resistor Maneatis, JSSC, 1996

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Symmetric load delay cell

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INF4420 Spring 2012 Ring Jørgen Andreas Michaelsen
oscillators ([email protected])
INF4420 Spring 2012 Ring Jørgen Andreas Michaelsen
oscillators ([email protected])
 Pseudo differential

Pseudo differential elements are common

in many applications. Rail-to-rail swing.
Trip point defined by Vdd (worse CMRR).

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Tuning output frequency

So far, the oscillators have a "fixed"
output frequency. Deviation from the
ideal output frequency is undesirable
(modulated by the PVT condition, and
perturbed by external and internal noise
sources). VCOs have an input terminal
that allows external control of the
frequency.

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INF4420 Spring 2012 Ring Jørgen Andreas Michaelsen

oscillators ([email protected])
 Voltage controlled osc.

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Voltage controlled osc.

Different schemes for controlling the

output frequency.

● Modulating the driving strength

● Modulating the load

Control signal is usually a voltage (VCO)

or a current (CCO). Sometimes a V/I
converter is used to interface a CCO with
a voltage signal.
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INF4420 Spring 2012 Ring Jørgen Andreas Michaelsen

oscillators ([email protected])
 Ring oscillator VCO
Several possibilities for implementing the
delay stages and tuning circuit.

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Ring oscillator VCO

Starved inverter delay element

Starved inverter bias circuit

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INF4420 Spring 2012 Ring Jørgen Andreas Michaelsen

oscillators ([email protected])
 Ring oscillator VCO
Several specifications to consider

● Tuning range
● Linearity (ωout vs. Vctl)
● Amplitude
● Power
● CMRR, PSRR
● Jitter (phase noise)
● ...

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Mathematical model

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INF4420 Spring 2012 Ring Jørgen Andreas Michaelsen

oscillators ([email protected])
 Mathematical model
Phase is not directly observable in a real
oscillator. However, from observing the
zero crossings of the output, we see when
the phase has increased by π.

The rate of change of the phase, ϕ,

is the frequency, ω.

Phase is the integral of frequency.

Conversely, frequency is the derivative of
the phase.
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Mathematical model

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INF4420 Spring 2012 Ring Jørgen Andreas Michaelsen

oscillators ([email protected])
 Resources

McNeill and Ricketts, The Designer’s Guide

to Jitter in Ring Oscillators, Springer, 2009.

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INF4420 Spring 2012 Ring Jørgen Andreas Michaelsen

oscillators ([email protected])