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Technical Education Webinar Series
Title: VCO Fundamentals
Date & Time: December 5, 2012; 8 AM PT/ 11 AM ET/ 4 PM UTC
Webinar Outline:
VCO Overview
Functional Block concept
Input-Output relationships
Basic Performance Metrics
Center Frequency
Tuning 'Constant'
Types of VCOs
Resonant (LC, SAW based, crystal)
Multivibrator
Ring Oscillator
Methods of Tuning
Varactor (voltage controlled capacitance)
Drive strength (e.g. charging current in multivibrator)
Phase adjust (interpolating)
Second Order Performance Metrics
V-f linearity
Supply/Load Sensitivity
Phase Noise
Comparison of VCOs
Summary
Presenter: John McNeill, Director of the New England Center for Analog and Mixed Signal Integrated Circuit Design (NECAMSID), Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Biography:
John McNeill received his bachelor's degree from Dartmouth College in 1983, M.S. from the University of Rochester in 1991, and Ph.D. from Boston University in 1994. From 1983 to 1990 he worked in industry in the design of high speed, high resolution analog-to-digital converters and low noise interface electronics used in high speed, wide dynamic range imaging systems. Since 1994 he has been with the Electrical and Computer Engineering department of Worcester Polytechnic Institute, where in 1999 he received WPI’s campus-wide award for Outstanding Teaching. In 2006, McNeill and co-authors Michael Coln and Brian Larivee of Analog Devices received the Lewis Winner Award for Outstanding Paper at the 2005 ISSCC. His research interests are in the area of analog and mixed signal integrated circuit design for phase-locked loop, analog-to-digital converter, and instrumentation applications.
