The voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) is a critical sub-block in communications transceivers. The role of the VCO in a transceiver and the VCO requirements are first reviewed. The necessity of GHz VCOs and the driving factors towards the monolithic integration of the VCO are examined. VCO design techniques are outlined and design trade-offs are explored. The performance of VCOs in different implementation styles is compared to evaluate when and if VCO integration is desirable.
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