Oscillator circuit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017201216-A1
Application number	US-201615256034-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 2, 2016
Priority date	Jan 12, 2016
Publication date	Jul 13, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

According to one embodiment, an oscillator circuit includes a resonant circuit and first and second negative-resistance circuits. Each of the first and second negative-resistance circuits includes a first power-supply terminal, a second power-supply terminal, an input terminal and an output terminal. The first and second negative-resistance circuits are connected in series between a first power supply and a second power supply at the first and second power-supply terminals, and connected parallel to the resonance circuit at the input and output terminals.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An oscillator circuit comprising:
a resonant circuit; and first and second negative-resistance circuits, wherein each of the first and second negative-resistance circuits includes a first power-supply terminal, a second power-supply terminal, an input terminal and an output terminal, and the first and second negative-resistance circuits are connected in series between a first power supply and a second power supply at the first and second power-supply terminals, and connected parallel to the resonance circuit at the input and output terminals.

2 . The oscillator circuit according to claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second negative-resistance circuits comprises at least one first transistor of a first conductivity type which includes a first current path and a first gate electrode, the first current path of the at least one first transistor being connected between the first power supply terminal and the second power supply terminal, and
an intermediate voltage which is intermediate between a voltage at the first power supply terminal and a voltage at the second power supply terminal is supplied to the first gate electrode of the at least one first transistor.

3 . The oscillator circuit according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a first capacitor between the input terminal and the first gate electrode of the at least one first transistor; a first resistor including one end and another end, the one end being supplied with the intermediate voltage, and the another end being connected to the first gate electrode of the at least on first transistor; and a second capacitor connected between the first power supply terminal and the output terminal.

4 . The oscillator circuit according to claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second negative-resistance circuits comprises:
a second transistor of a second conductivity type which includes a second current path and a second gate electrode, one end of the second current path being connected to the first power supply terminal; a third transistor of the first conductivity type which includes a third current path and a third gate electrode, one end of the third current path being connected to another end of the second current path of the second transistor, another end of the third current path being connected to the second power supply terminal; a third capacitor connected between the input terminal and the second gate electrode of the second transistor; a second resistor including one end and another end, the one end of the second resistor being supplied with an intermediate voltage which is intermediate between a voltage at the first power supply terminal and a voltage at the second power supply terminal, and the another of the second resistor being connected to the second gate electrode of the second transistor; a fourth capacitor connected between the input terminal and the third gate electrode of the third transistor; a third resistor including one end and another end, one end of the third resistor being supplied with the intermediate voltage, and the another end of the third resistor being connected to the third gate electrode of the third transistor; and a fifth capacitor connected between a first connection node between the second transistor and the output terminal.

5 . The oscillator circuit according to claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second negative-resistance circuits comprises:
a fourth transistor of the second conductivity type which includes a fourth current path and a fourth gate electrode, one end of the fourth current path being connected to the first power supply terminal; a fifth transistor of the first conductivity type which includes a fifth current path and a fifth gate electrode, one end of the fifth current path being connected to another end of the fourth current path of the fourth transistor, another end of the fifth current path being connected to the second power supply terminal; a sixth capacitor connected between the input terminal and a second connection node between the fourth gate electrode of the fourth transistor and the fifth gate electrode of the fifth transistor; a fourth resistor connected between the second connection node and a third connection node between the fourth transistor and the fifth transistor; and a seventh capacitor between the third connection node and the output terminal.

6 . The oscillator circuit according to claim 5 , wherein one of the first and second negative-resistance circuits comprises the fourth transistor, the fifth transistor and the fourth resistor.

7 . The oscillator circuit according to claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second negative-resistance circuits comprises:
a sixth transistor of the second conductivity type which includes a sixth current path and a sixth gate electrode, one end of the sixth current path being connected to the first power supply terminal; a seventh transistor of the first conductivity type which includes a seventh current path and a seventh gate electrode, one end of the seventh current path being connected to another end of the sixth current path of the sixth transistor, another end of the seventh current path being connected to the second power supply terminal; an eighth capacitor connected between the input terminal and a fourth connection node between the sixth gate electrode of the sixth transistor and the seventh gate electrode of the seventh transistor; fifth and sixth resistors connected in series between the fourth connection node and a fifth connection node between the sixth transistor and the seventh transistor; a ninth capacitor connected between the fifth connection node and the output terminal; and a tenth capacitor connected between a sixth connection node between the fifth and sixth resistors and the second power supply, and wherein a voltage at the sixth connection node is supplied to back gates of the sixth and seventh transistors.

8 . The oscillator circuit according to claim 1 , further comprising a current source which is connected to the first power supply, and supplies a constant current to the first and second negative-resistance circuits in accordance with a control signal.

9 . The circuit according to claim 8 , further comprising a filter which is connected to the current source, and eliminates noise contained in the control signal.

10 . The oscillator circuit according to claim 9 , wherein the current source comprises an eighth transistor which includes an eighth current path and an eighth gate electrode, one end of the eighth current path being connected to the first power supply, and
the filter comprises: a ninth transistor of the second conductivity type which includes a ninth current path and a ninth gate electrode, one end of the ninth current path being connected to the eighth gate electrode of the eighth transistor, and an eleventh capacitor connected between the eighth gate electrode of the eighth transistor and another end of the current path of the eighth transistor.

11 . The oscillator circuit according to claim 10 , further comprising a switch which is connected to the filter, and turns off the filter at time of starting the oscillator circuit.

12 . The oscillator circuit according to claim 1 , wherein the resonant circuit is driven by a voltage generated by the first and second negative-resistance circuits, which is lower than a voltage of the first power supply and higher than a voltage of the second power supply.

13 . An oscillator circuit comprising:
a first interconnect supplied with a first voltage; a first negative-resistance circuit which includes a first input terminal, a first

Assignees

• Toshiba Kk

Inventors

• Iguchi Shunta
• Takamiya Makoto
• Sakurai Takayasu

Classifications

• H03B7/00 Primary

  Generation of oscillations using active element having a negative resistance between two of its electrodes (H03B9/00 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H03B5/24

  active element in amplifier being semiconductor device (H03B5/26 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H03B5/32

  being a piezoelectric resonator (selection of piezoelectric material H10N30/00) · CPC title

• H03B5/364 Primary

  the amplifier comprising field effect transistors (H03B5/366 takes precedence) · CPC title