Highly Coupled Inductor Layout for Compact Multi-Core Oscillators
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing oscillating circuits utilizing multiple LC oscillators for reduced phase noise occupy significant area and have high power consumption, with stacking inductors leading to increased phase noise and reduced quality factor.
Innovation Solution
Implement a multi-core oscillator design using highly coupled inductors, where inductor portions are magnetically and electrically connected across multiple layers, with dual-port inductors and conductive microstrips to enhance synchronization and reduce area while maintaining low phase noise.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple LC oscillators are coupled to reduce phase noise, then phase noise performance is improved, but occupied area and power consumption increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple LC oscillators are merged into a single integrated structure with shared 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 components, thereby reducing total occupied area while maintaining low phase noise through coherent coupling
Solution Approach 2:
The inductors are implemented across multiple layers of the integrated circuit with vertical stacking. First inductor portions are disposed on a first layer and second inductor portions on a second layer, utilizing the third dimension (vertical space) to pack multiple oscillating cores into a smaller planar footprint while maintaining electrical connectivity and magnetic coupling between layers
2Reliability
If multiple LC oscillators are coupled to reduce phase noise, then phase noise performance is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple oscillating cores share common inductors and capacitors rather than each core having dedicated components. This sharing arrangement reduces the total number of active components and their associated power consumption while the magnetic coupling between inductors maintains the phase noise reduction benefit of multiple oscillators
Solution Approach 2:
The coupled inductor structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides the inductive reactance for multiple oscillating cores, enables magnetic coupling between cores for phase noise reduction, and reduces total component count. This multi-functionality allows the system to achieve low phase noise without proportionally increasing power consumption
3Area of stationary object
If inductors are stacked to reduce area, then occupied area is reduced, but resonator quality factor declines and phase noise increases
Solution Approach 1:
Inductors are stacked vertically across multiple layers with first inductor portions on a first layer and second inductor portions on a second layer. This vertical arrangement reduces planar footprint while maintaining adequate magnetic coupling through controlled coupling coefficients greater than 0.1, preserving resonator quality factor despite the stacked configuration
Solution Approach 2:
The magnetic coupling between stacked inductors acts as an intermediary mechanism that transfers energy between layers while maintaining oscillation integrity. By designing the coupling strength to be greater than 0.1 but not excessively strong, the system maintains high quality factor while achieving area reduction through vertical 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
The proposed design achieves a reduction in occupied area by up to 95% and maintains phase noise comparable to or better than previous solutions, with lower power consumption, suitable for RF and mm-wave applications.
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.