Multiple adjacent slicewise layout of voltage-controlled oscillator
AssigneeKandou Labs, S.A.
InventorsArmin Tajalli, Yohann Mogentale, Fabio Licciardello
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Abstract
Methods and systems are described for generating multiple phases of a local clock at a controllable variable frequency, using loop-connected strings of active circuit elements. A specific embodiment incorporates a loop of four active circuit elements, each element providing true and complement outputs that are cross-coupled to maintain a fixed phase relationship, and feed-forward connections at each loop node to facilitate high frequency operation. A particular physical layout is described that maximizes operating frequency and minimizes clock pertubations caused by unbalanced or asymmetric signal paths and parasitic node capacitances.
Claims20
An apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) stages laterally arranged along a first dimension wherein each VCO stage is configured to provide a respective VCO phase and is arranged next to a corresponding complementary VCO stage that is configured to provide an opposite VCO phase, each VCO stage comprising inverters having groups of PMOS, NMOS, and capacitive coupling circuit components grouped by circuit component type along a second dimension, the groups of PMOS and NMOS circuit components separated by an interconnection grid and the capacitive coupling circuit components arranged adjacently to the group of PMOS circuit components;
- the interconnection grid located between the groups of PMOS and NMOS circuit components, and comprising inter-segment connections between circuit components of different VCO stages and intra-segment connections between circuit components within each VCO stage.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.