Highly coupled inductor design for reducing area and power consumption of a multi-core oscillator
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing oscillating circuits employing multiple LC oscillators face challenges in reducing area occupation and power consumption while maintaining low phase noise, with previous methods either increasing manufacturing costs or degrading resonator quality factors.
Innovation Solution
The use of highly coupled inductors in a multi-core oscillator design, where inductor portions are magnetically and electrically connected across multiple layers, forming a single inductive component, and synchronized through dual-port or multi-port configurations to reduce area and power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple LC oscillators are coupled to reduce phase noise, then phase noise is reduced, but area occupation increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple LC oscillators are merged into a single integrated structure sharing common inductors and capacitors. The inductors are coupled through magnetic interaction with coupling coefficients greater than 0.1, allowing multiple oscillating cores to occupy a unified physical footprint rather than separate discrete areas, thus reducing total area while maintaining low phase noise through coherent coupling.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements stacked inductor configurations where inductors are arranged in vertical layers (first layer, second layer, third layer) with overlapping footprints. The inductors are nested in the vertical dimension, allowing multiple oscillating cores to be stacked one above another, significantly reducing the horizontal area occupation while maintaining electrical isolation and magnetic coupling between layers.
2Reliability
If multiple LC oscillators are coupled to reduce phase noise, then phase noise is reduced, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The coupled inductors serve multiple functions simultaneously: they provide inductive reactance for oscillation, enable magnetic coupling between oscillating cores, and establish phase relationships between multiple cores. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components in each oscillating core, thereby reducing overall power consumption while maintaining low phase noise through coherent operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes the coupling coefficient parameter between inductors to be greater than 0.1, which is sufficient to achieve low phase noise without requiring overly strong coupling that would increase power consumption. Additionally, the stacked geometry and port configurations are optimized to achieve the desired phase noise performance with minimal power dissipation.
3Area of stationary object
If inductors are stacked to decrease area, then area occupation is reduced, but resonator quality factor declines
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from planar inductor arrangements to three-dimensional stacked configurations. By utilizing the vertical dimension with multiple layers (first layer, second layer, third layer), the inductors achieve closer spacing and stronger magnetic coupling without increasing horizontal footprint. This dimensional transition allows area reduction while maintaining or even improving quality factor through enhanced magnetic interaction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces direct electrical connection between stacked inductors with magnetic coupling. The inductors are positioned to achieve magnetic coupling coefficients greater than 0.1 without requiring physical electrical contact, thereby avoiding the resistive losses and parasitic effects that would degrade quality factor. The magnetic field serves as the coupling medium, preserving the high-Q characteristics of each inductor while enabling compact stacking.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach achieves a significant reduction in area occupation by 30-95% while maintaining phase noise comparable to or better than previous solutions, with power consumption trade-offs that do not adversely affect performance.
Implementation Method 1
the first inductor portion may be magnetically coupled to a first or second inductor portion of a first coupling inductor of the plurality of inductors, and the second inductor portion may be magnetically coupled to a first or second inductor portion of a second coupling inductor of the plurality of inductors
Data Source
AI summary
A circuit, integrated circuit, and radar system implementing a highly coupled inductor design for a multi-core oscillator is provided. An example circuit may include a plurality of inductors, each inductor including: a first inductor portion and a second inductor portion electrically connected in series. In some embodiments, for each inductor, the first inductor portion may be magnetically coupled to a first or second inductor portion of a first coupling inductor of the plurality of inductors, and the second inductor portion may be magnetically coupled to a first or second inductor portion of a second coupling inductor of the plurality of inductors, where the first coupling inductor and the second coupling inductor are different inductors.