Compact and Highly Stable Frequency Synthesizers for Integrated RF Front-Ends

摘要

Optoelectronic techniques are quite viable for implementing high stability microwave frequency synthesizers. Significant improvement in frequency stability is attained using custom designed modular implementation of OEO based on the self-forced oscillation technique of SILPLL.3 To reduce size, integrated solutions of SILPLL24 are considered by integrating low noise RFIC using SiGe technology with SiP based optical modulators.25 Compact design of the frequency synthesizer is demonstrated by employing InP-based MML and intermodal oscillation frequency stabilization using concept of SML26 combined with SILPLL using high Q compact resonators.27 A combined design following the intellectual properties described here could potentially meet the stringent requirements of the DARPA's GRY-PHON Program, which has challenged the technical community, a compact RF synthesizer using a het-erogeneously integrated InP MML chip on SiP is proposed that will provide 1) low phase noise (-150 dBc/ Hz at 10 kHz offset from a 10 GHz carrier), 2) broadband tuning (1 to 40 GHz), 3) small size ( 10 cm~3) and 4) operation in a rugged environment (-40℃ to +85℃ temperature range and 40 g vibration). A compact RF synthesizer with a very low phase noise in microwave frequency range could be envisioned by relying on the self-mode locking of a large number of modes of the presented MML with a tunable intermodal RF. Addition of a self-forced oscillation technique assures low phase noise of RF signal over the challenging environments.