A 30 to 44 GHz divide-by-2, quadrature, direct injection locked frequency divider for sliding-IF 60 GHz transceivers

This paper presents a wideband 40 GHz divide-by-2 quadrature injection locked frequency divider (Q-ILFD) as an enabling component for sliding-IF 60 GHz transceivers. The design incorporates direct injection topology and input power matching using interconnect inductances to enhance injection efficiency. This results in an excellent input sensitivity and a wide locking range. Fabricated in a 65nm bulk CMOS technology, the divider operates from 30.3 to 44 GHz (37% locking range) while consuming 9mW from a 1.2V supply. The measured phase noise is −131 dBc/Hz at 1-MHz offset whereas the phase error between I-Q outputs is less than 1.44°.