Millimeter wave microstrip voltage-controlled oscillator with adjustable tuning sensitivity
US4906947A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 13, 1989 |
| Grant date | Mar 6, 1990 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 13, 2009 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH03B9/141
- WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) especially designed for use in the millimeter wave frequency band (Ka-band) and which exhibits an adjustable tuning sensitivity. A low tuning sensitivity is easily obtained, making it suitable for narrow-band FMCW applications. It comprises a Gunn diode as a negative resistance device and a voltage variable capacitance diode (varactor) as a tuning element. A fixed capacitance element is coupled in RF series with the varactor and microstrip transmission lines are configured to function as impedance matching, resonating and filtering elements. By incorporating the fixed capacitance in RF series with the varactor, the tuning sensitivity, measured in volts/Hz is markedly reduced. The VCO uses a novel RF structure which puts the fixed capacitance in RF series with the varactor, without introducing the fixed capacitance element in the varactor bias circuitry.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.