RF/Microwave Oscillator

Mr. Sajeed S. Mulla

Associate Professor

Sindhudurg Shikshan Prasarak Mandal’s College of

Engineering,
Kankavali, Maharashtra, India
February 28, 2020

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RF/Microwave Oscillator

Introduction
Heart of any modern oscillators is active solid state
devices.
Two terminal solid state devices:
Tunnel diode.
Gunn diode.
IMMPATT diode.
TRAPATT diode.
Three terminal devices:
BJT.
FET.
Two terminal device leads to design one port oscillator.
Three terminal device leads to design two port oscillator.

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Amplifier with Positive Feedback

If loop gain A β = 1, then

e0 /ei = ∞.
For ei = 0, e0 may have finite
value. This is oscillation
condition.
e0 = A (ei + βe0 )
To start oscillation, choose:
e0 (1 − βA ) = Aei Aβ > 1
e0 A Generally A β ≈ 1.1 to 1.2
=
ei 1 − βA

Mr. Sajeed S. Mulla Microwave Amplifier February 28, 2020 3 / 22

Amplifier with Positive Feedback

Oscillations start growing from small noise level at a frequency

determined by loop gain A β > 1.
As oscillations grow to a limiting level,gain of the amplifier
starts reducing and a condition occurs when A β = 1.

Mr. Sajeed S. Mulla Microwave Amplifier February 28, 2020 4 / 22

One Port Oscillator
Signal Flow Graph.
One Port Oscillator Circuit. an

Load Device
bL ain
aL f bin f 1
bL ain
ZL Zin
an
ΓL Γin

aL bin
bL bin 1
ΓL = Γin =
aL ain
where, an is noise generated by
the circuit.

Mr. Sajeed S. Mulla Microwave Amplifier February 28, 2020 5 / 22

One Port Oscillator
aL
Using Mason’s power gain formula the ratio is given by,
an

aL Γin
=
an 1 − Γin ΓL

an Γin
aL =
1 − Γin ΓL

If loop gain gain Γin ΓL = 1, then circuit becomes unstable.

When device is unstable, then |Γin | > 1, the resistance of the
device is negative.
The load is passive circuit, therefore |ΓL | < 1.

Mr. Sajeed S. Mulla Microwave Amplifier February 28, 2020 6 / 22

One Port Oscillator

Conditions for oscillation

Oscillations start growing from small noise level at a
frequency determined by loop gain Γin ΓL > 1.
As oscillations grow to a limiting level,gain of the
amplifier starts reducing and a condition occurs when
Γin ΓL = 1. The oscillator operates in steady state
condition.

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One Port Oscillator

Derivation for One Port Oscillator,

For loop gain Γin ΓL = 1

Zin − Z0 ZL − Z0
Γin ΓL = · =1
Zin + Z0 ZL + Z0

Solving above equation we get,

Zin + ZL = 0

Therefore,
Rin + RL = 0, Xin + XL = 0
where, Zin = Rin + jXin , and ZL = RL + jXL

Mr. Sajeed S. Mulla Microwave Amplifier February 28, 2020 8 / 22

One Port Oscillator
Kurokawa stable oscillation.

Start Up:
Rin + RL < 0
Xin + XL = 0
Γin ΓL > 1 Steady State:
Rin + RL = 0
Xin + XL = 0
Γin ΓL = 1

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One Port Oscillator

Kurokawa stable oscillation.

The process of oscillation depends on behavior of Zin
Initially it is necessary for overall circuit to be unstable at
certain frequency.
At start up the network is unstable if the net resistance
is negative (Rin + RL < 0), |Rin | ≥ 1.2RL .
When oscillator change its state from start up to steady
state, the resistance Rin becomes less negative.
Under steady state the net resistance Rin + RL = 0
In steady, the oscillation is stable.
For stable oscillation amplitude and frequency
deviations are zero.

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One Port Oscillator Design

Example: The reflection coefficient of Gunn diode at 10GHz is

Γout = 1.24∠300 . Design one port oscillator circuit for 10 GHz
frequency. The port impedance is Z0 = 50Ω
Solution:
Load Gunn diode

ZL Zout

ΓL Γout

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One Port Oscillator Design

1) Calculate Zout :

1 + Γout
Zout = Z0 = −70 + j159Ω
1 − Γout

|Rout | 70
2) To start the oscillation choose RL ≤ = = 58.34Ω, Let
1.2 1 .2
select RL = 58Ω.
3) Select XL = −Xout = −159Ω.
4) ZL = 58 − j159Ω ⇒ Capacitive load

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Two Port Oscillator

Three oscillation conditions

|∆| > 1, K < 1 ⇒ Unstable system.
Γin Γs = 1
Γout ΓL = 1

Condition#2 and condition#3 are same.

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Two Port Oscillator
Design steps for two port oscillator
From given S parameters calculate K, ∆.
If |∆| > 1 and K < 1 ⇒ unstable
Draw output stability circle.
Choose ΓL within unstable region.
S12 S21 ΓL
Calculate Γin = S11 +
1 − S22 ΓL
1 + Γin
Calculate Zin = z0 , Rin and Xin .
1 − Γin
−Rin
Calculate Rs = and Xs = −Xin
3
Using ΓL , Rs and Xs design impedance matching
networks.

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Two Port Oscillator Design
Example: Design a transistor oscillator at 4 GHz using a GaAs
MESFET in a common gate configuration, with a 5 nH inductor in se-
ries with the gate to increase the instability. Choose a load network
to match to a 50Ω load, and an appropriate terminating network at
the input to the transistor. The scattering parameters of the transistor
in a common gate configuration are (Z0 = 50 Ω), S11 = 2.18∠ − 350 ,
S12 = 1.26∠180 , S21 = 2.75∠960 , and S22 = 0.52∠1550 .
Solution: 1) K - ∆ test:

|∆| = |S11 S22 − S12 S21 | = 2.34 > 1

1 − |S11 |2 − |S22 |2 + |∆|2

K = = 0.20 < 1
2|S12 S21 |
The system is potentially unstable.

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Two Port Oscillator Design

Continue...
2) Calculate output stability circle parameters,
∗ ∗
(S22 − ∆S11 )
CL = 2 2
= 1.08∠330
|S22 | − |∆|
|S12 S21 |
RL = = 0.665
|S22 |2 − |∆|2

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Two Port Oscillator Design
Continue...
2) Draw output stability circle on the Smith chart. Locate ΓL in
unstable region. Select ΓL = 0.59∠ − 1040 .

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Two Port Oscillator Design
Continue...
3) Calculate Γin ,

S12 S21 ΓL
Γin = S11 + = 3.96∠ − 2.40
1 − S22 ΓL

4) Calculate Zin

1 + Γin
Zin = Z0 = −84 − j1.9Ω
1 − Γin

5) Calculate Zs , Rs and Xs ,

−Rin
Rs = = 28Ω, Xs = −Xin = 1.9Ω
3

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Two Port Oscillator Design
Continue...
Design of generator tuning network.
Γs-Plane
0.125λ
0.375λ 0.15
0.1λ λ
90◦ 0.35
0.4λ 100
◦
80 ◦ λ

1
0.9
◦ 70 ◦
110

0.8

1.2
λ 0.1

0.7
75 0.3 5λ
7

1.4
◦ 60 ◦
0.0 5λ 0
12 25

0.6
2

1.6
t or 0.4 λ
ra

1.8
◦ 50 ◦

0.5
e 0
gen 13

2
4
0.
0.4 λ

0.2
0◦
5

40
0.0

5λ

0.3
◦
14

λ
λ
0.3 3
s
ard

15 ◦

30
0
tow

◦
4
0.2
5λ

0.22
160 ◦
5λ

0.27
20
5
0.02

◦
0.47

5λ
5λ
0.1
170 ◦

10
10

◦
¯S
Z0.5 R̄ 20
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2 3 4 5 10 20

0.25λ
0.25λ
180◦
0.5λ

OC
0λ

0◦
−20
−0.1

350 ◦
190

−10
◦
0.02

5λ
0.47

5λ
−0.2

340 ◦
200

0.22
0.27
5λ

−5
5λ

−4
tow

.3

0◦
−0
21
ard

33
0
◦
s

−3
d1−0.4
0.0 λ

λ
0.2
0◦
0.4

22
5λ

λ
=

0.3
32
0
◦
5

0.2
.5

lo
−0

ad 23 ◦
0◦
62 −2
31
0
.8
.6

λ
−1
−0

.6

0.0 λ
75
7

−1

7 24 ◦
0.4 5λ
4
−0.

0◦ 0 0.1 5λ
30
−0.8

−1.

25
−1.2

2
−0.9

λ ◦ 0.3
250 ◦
−1

290
◦
0.1λ 260 ◦ 280
270◦ 0.15
λ
0.4λ 0.125λ λ
0.35
0.375λ

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Two Port Oscillator Design

Continue...
Design of generator tuning network.
Zs
Calculate normalize source impedance Z¯s = = 0.56 + j0.038
Z0
Draw VSWR circle.
From Z¯s move along constant VSWR circle towards load (anti
clockwise) to arrive at R̄.
Find length d1 of the transmission line by measuring the
distance between Z¯s and R̄, ⇒ d1 = 0.262λ.
R̄ = 1.8, the series resistance R = 50 × R̄ = 90Ω

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Two Port Oscillator Design
Continue...
Design of load matching network.
ΓL-Plane
0.125λ
0.375λ 0.15
0.1λ λ
90◦ 0.35
0.4λ 100
◦
80 ◦ λ

1
0.9
◦ 70 ◦
110

0.8

1.2
λ 0.1

0.7
75 0.3 5λ
7

1.4
◦ 6
0.0 5λ 0
Y¯st
0 ◦
12 25

0.6
2

1.6
t or 0.4 λ
ra

1.8
◦ 50 ◦

0.5
e 0
gen 13

2
4
0.
0.4 λ
Y¯L

0.2
0◦
5

40
0.0

5λ

0.3
◦
14

λ
λ
0.3 3
s
ard

15 ◦

30
0
tow

◦
4
0.2
5λ

0.22
160 ◦
5λ

0.27
20
5
0.02

◦
0.47

5λ
5λ
0.1
170 ◦

10
10

◦
20
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2 3 4 5 10 20

0.25λ
0.25λ
180◦
0.5λ

OC
0λ

0◦
−20
−0.1

◦
190

0.22 346 350

−10

λ
◦
0.02

5λ
0.47

5λ
−0.2

◦
0.
200

l02 = 340
0.27
5λ

−5
5λ

−4
tow

Y¯d
.3

◦
−0
21
ard

33
0
◦
s

−3
4 ΓL
0.0 λ

0.

λ
0.2
0◦
0.4

22

−
5λ

λ
0.3
32
0
◦
5

.5

lo
−0

ad 23 ◦

−2
0◦ 0
31
.8
.6

−1
−0

.6

0.0 λ
75
7

−1

7 24 ◦
0.4 5λ
4
−0.

0◦ 0 0.1 5λ
30
−0.8

−1.

25
−1.2

2
−0.9

λ 0.3
250 ◦
2 = 0.3
19λ 290 ◦
−1

0.1λ 260 ◦ d270 280

◦
15λ
◦

0.
0.4λ 0.125λ λ
0.35
0.375λ

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Two Port Oscillator Design

Continue...
Oscillator circuit

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