A 56GHz LC-tank VCO with 17% tuning range in 65nm bulk CMOS for wireless HDMI applications

A voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) with 56GHz central frequency and 17% tuning range is presented. The oscillation frequency is tuned both by an analog input and a three-bit digital control bus using the same type of differential varactors. It achieves a record FOM
T
(considering tuning range) of 186.8 dBc/Hz and it is able to address the full wireless HDMI band. The VCO is implemented in a 65nm bulk CMOS process and dissipates 15 mW from a 1.2 V supply.