Rotary traveling wave oscillator-based (RTWO-based) frequency multipliers are provided herein. In certain embodiments, an RTWO-based frequency multiplier includes an RTWO that generates a plurality of clock signal phases of a first frequency, and an edge combiner that processes the clock signal phases to generate an output clock signal having a second frequency that is a multiple of the first frequency. The edge combiner can be implemented as a logic-based combining circuit that combines the clock signal phases from the RTWO. For example, the edge combiner can include parallel stacks of transistors operating on different clock signal phases, with the stacks selectively activating based on timing of the clock signal phases to generate the output clock signal of multiplied frequency.

A high frequency push-push oscillator is disclosed. The high frequency push-push oscillator includes a resonant circuit, including tank transmission lines or an inductor capacitor (LC) tank circuit, for generating a differential signal having a resonant frequency, and a Gm-core circuit for converting the differential signal to an output signal having an output frequency that is higher than the resonant frequency. The Gm-core circuit includes cross-coupled first and second transistors having first and second gates, drains, and sources, respectively, and first and second gate transmission lines. The first and second drains are in electrical communication with the resonant circuit. The first gate transmission line is joined with the first gate and the resonant circuit and the second gate transmission line is joined with the second gate and the resonant circuit. The Gm-core circuit includes a differential transmission line positioned between the first and second gates of the first and second transistors.

The present disclosure relates to an oscillator device (15) comprising an amplifier unit (16) and a tunable waveguide resonator (1) which in turn comprises a rectangular waveguide part (2) having electrically conducting inner walls (3) and a first waveguide port (4). The amplifier unit (16) is arranged to be electrically connected to the waveguide resonator (1) via the first waveguide port (4) by means of a first connector (17). The waveguide resonator (1) comprises at least one tuning element (6) positioned within the waveguide part (2), wherein each tuning element (6) comprises an electrically conducting body (7) and a holding rod (8a, 8b). The holding rod (8a, 8b) is attached to the electrically conducting body (7) and is movable from the outside of the waveguide resonator (1) such that the electrically conducting body (7) can be moved between a plurality of positions within the waveguide part (2) by means of the holding rod (8a, 8b).

Apparatus and methods for rotary traveling wave oscillators (RTWOs) are provided herein. In certain configurations, an RTWO includes a differential transmission line connected in a ring and a plurality of segments distributed around the ring. The segments include metal stubs extending from the RTWO's differential transmission line. The metal stubs aid in providing access to additional layout resources for tuning capacitors and other circuitry of the RTWO's segments, while permitting the length of RTWO's ring to be relative short. Thus, the metal stubs do not inhibit the RTWO from operating with relatively high oscillation frequency, while providing connectivity to tuning capacitors that tune the RTWO's oscillation frequency over a wide tuning range and/or provide fine frequency step size.

An LC tank circuit, such as an LC tank circuit of a step-tuned voltage controlled oscillator, includes an inductor and one or more capacitors. The inductor can be dog-bone shaped with a body, an extension and a chamfered joint to improve current distribution. The body and the extension can extend along different directions. The body can be narrower than the extension, and the extension can be sufficiently wide to interface with a plurality of switched capacitor circuits coupled to different parts of the extension.

An LC tank circuit, such as an LC tank circuit of a step-tuned voltage controlled oscillator, includes a plurality of switched capacitor banks and one or more inductors. A first switched capacitor bank switch in response to a range of control signals used to control the VCO output across a range of frequencies. A second switched capacitor bank can switch in response to a subset of the range of control signals used to control the VCO output across a subset of the range of frequencies. The control scheme for the first and second switched capacitor banks can improves the linearity of changes in the frequency of the output signal of the VCO.

Apparatus and methods for rotary traveling wave oscillators (RTWOs) are provided herein. In certain configurations, an RTWO includes a differential transmission line connected in a ring and a plurality of segments distributed around the ring. The segments include metal stubs extending from the RTWO's differential transmission line. The metal stubs aid in providing access to additional layout resources for tuning capacitors and other circuitry of the RTWO's segments, while permitting the length of RTWO's ring to be relative short. Thus, the metal stubs do not inhibit the RTWO from operating with relatively high oscillation frequency, while providing connectivity to tuning capacitors that tune the RTWO's oscillation frequency over a wide tuning range and/or provide fine frequency step size.

Apparatus and methods for rotary traveling wave oscillators (RTWOs) are provided herein. In certain configurations, an RTWO includes a differential transmission line connected in a ring and a plurality of segments distributed around the ring. The segments include metal stubs extending from the RTWO's differential transmission line. The metal stubs aid in providing access to additional layout resources for tuning capacitors and other circuitry of the RTWO's segments, while permitting the length of RTWO's ring to be relative short. Thus, the metal stubs do not inhibit the RTWO from operating with relatively high oscillation frequency, while providing connectivity to tuning capacitors that tune the RTWO's oscillation frequency over a wide tuning range and/or provide fine frequency step size.

Apparatus and methods for frequency tuning of rotary traveling wave oscillators (RTWOs) are provided herein. In certain configurations, distributed quantized tuning is used to tune a frequency of the RTWO. The RTWO includes a plurality of segments distributed around the RTWO's ring, and the segments include tuning capacitors and other circuitry. The distributed quantized frequency tuning is used to control the tuning capacitors in the RTWO's segments using separately controllable code values, thereby enhancing the RTWO's frequency step size or resolution. Moreover, in configurations including multiple RTWO rings that are locked to one another to reduce phase noise, the distributed quantized frequency tuning can be used to separately set the tuning capacitors across multiple RTWO rings that are coupled to one another.

An LC tank circuit, such as an LC tank circuit of a step-tuned voltage controlled oscillator, includes an inductor and one or more capacitors. The inductor can be dog-bone shaped with a body, an extension and a chamfered joint to improve current distribution. The body and the extension can extend along different directions. The body can be narrower than the extension, and the extension can be sufficiently wide to interface with a plurality of switched capacitor circuits coupled to different parts of the extension.