Silicon-Based THz Signal Generation with Multiphase Subharmonic Injection-Locking Oscillators

Abstract

This chapter presents a multiphase injection-locking (IL) technique and its application in the locking range extension in multiphase injection-locking oscillators (ILOs) for terahertz (THz) signal generation. The proposed technique can significantly increase the frequency locking range of a multiphase ILO compared to the conventional single-phase IL scheme. Based on the multiphase IL technique and subharmonic ILOs, an “active frequency multiplier chain” architecture and a multiring system layout topology are also proposed to achieve scalable THz signal generation. As proof of concept, a cascaded three-stage, three-phase second-order subharmonic ILO chain is implemented in the IBM 9HP SiGe BiCMOS process. The design achieves a maximum output power of –16.6 dBm at 498 GHz, a phase noise of –87 dBc/Hz at 1 MHz offset, and a total 5.1% frequency tuning range from 485.1 to 510.7 GHz, which is the largest frequency tuning range among all the reported silicon-based THz oscillator sources in the 0.5-THz band.