Design and Implementation of an N-type Integer Phase-locked Loop with Low Phase Noise and Two Output Frequencies at 1 and 4 GHz

This article presents development and implementation of an integer N-type Phase Locked Loop (PLL) module with two output frequencies of 1 and 4 GHz, each having a phase noise better than -110dBC/Hz@10k. The structure has 0 and 10dBm power levels at 1 and 4GHz output frequencies, respectively. Having two different outputs of 1 and 4 GHz at once, in addition to the 1.1 and 4.4GHz realized by the capability included in this design in which two additional outputs can be achieved by using the pins A0 to A4 and altering their status, makes this structure a good candidate for mass production. A two-step frequency division is employed in this work. The first step is realized using the frequency divider of order 4, and the second step is implemented inside the HMC440 IC, including a PFD and a counter. Compared to typical methods, this method presents a clean output by suppressing the spurs meant to be manifested using a single-step frequency division. This PLL is constructed in discrete and modular modes and employed in transceivers’ up-converter and down-converter blocks, Satellite communications, Cable TV links (CATV), Local Area Networks (LAN), Global Positioning Systems (GPS), test equipment, digital radios, military and commercial communications. For a specific example, the 4GHz frequency is used to up-converte or down-converte the received signals, and the 1-GHz frequency is usually used for the synthesizer module clock frequency. Advanced Design System (ADS) was used in the design, and OrCAD was used in the schematic design of the PLL module.