A 0.8V Low-Power Wide-Tuning Range CMOS VCO for 802.11ac and IoT C-Band Applications

This paper presents a low-power, wide-tuning range voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) for C-band applications, fabricated in a TSMC 0.18-μm CMOS process. The proposed VCO achieves a tuning range of 1124 MHz (5.829-4.705 GHz) and a low phase noise of -117.6 dBc/Hz at 1 MHz offset. By employing body-bias technology and an optimized varactor structure, the design significantly improves tuning capability while reducing power consumption to 3.4 mW at a supply voltage of 0.8V. Compared with conventional designs, this VCO achieves a 10-20% increase in tuning range, along with a 5 dB improvement in phase noise performance, making it a compelling solution for emerging RF front-end applications. The ultra-low power consumption makes it particularly advantageous for battery-powered IoT and edge AI devices, extending device operational time while maintaining RF performance. With its wide tuning range, low phase noise, and ultra-low power consumption, this VCO is an ideal solution for emerging RF and millimeter-wave applications, including 5G transceivers, satellite communications, and ultra-low-power IoT devices.