Voltage-controlled oscillator with mask-selectable performance
View Patent ↗An apparatus having a substrate with an inductor, a first die and a second die is disclosed. The first die may be (i) mounted on the substrate, (ii) configured to vary a frequency of a signal in the inductor, and (iii) fabricated with multiple first masks. The second die may be (i) mounted on the substrate, (ii) configured to excite the signal, and (iii) fabricated with multiple second masks. A particular one of the first masks generally has several designs that customize the first die to several configurations respectively. A particular one of the second masks may have several designs that customize the second die to several configurations respectively. The first die, the second die and the inductor may form a voltage-controlled oscillator. A selected first design and a selected second design generally establish multiple performances of the voltage-controlled oscillator.
1. An apparatus comprising:
a substrate having an inductor;
a first die (i) mounted on said substrate, (ii) configured to vary a frequency of a signal in said inductor, and (iii) fabricated with a plurality of first masks; and
a second die (i) mounted on said substrate, (ii) configured to excite said signal, and (iii) fabricated with a plurality of second masks, wherein (a) a particular one of said first masks has a plurality of first designs that customize said first die to a plurality of first configurations respectively, (b) a particular one of said second masks has a plurality of second designs that customize said second die to a plurality of second configurations respectively, (c) said first die, said second die and said inductor form a voltage-controlled oscillator, and (d) a selected one of said first designs and a selected one of said second designs establish a plurality of performances of said voltage-controlled oscillator.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein (i) said substrate has a plurality of third masks, and (ii) a particular one of said third masks has a plurality of third designs that customize said substrate to a plurality of third configurations respectively.
3. The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein said performances comprise one or more harmonics of said signal as determined by said particular third mask.
4. The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein said performances comprise a bandwidth of said signal as determined by said particular first mask, said particular second mask, and said particular third mask.
5. The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein said performances comprise a range of said frequency of said signal as determined by said particular first mask, said particular second mask, and said particular third mask.
6. The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein said performances comprise a phase noise of said signal as determined by said particular first mask, said particular second mask, and said particular third mask.
7. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said first configurations of said first die have different variable capacitance values at a particular control voltage.
8. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said second configurations of said second die have different transistor bias networks.
9. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said second configurations of said second die have a different number of transistors connected to each other.
10. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said second mask defines one or more vias.
11. A method for creating a voltage-controlled oscillator, comprising steps of:
(A) fabricating a first die with a plurality of first masks and a second die with a plurality of second masks;
(B) mounting said first die and said second die on a substrate having an inductor; and
(C) connecting said inductor to said first die and said second die such that said first die varies a frequency of a signal in said inductor and said second die excites said signal, wherein (i) a particular one of said first masks has a plurality of first designs that customize said first die to a plurality of first configurations respectively, (ii) a particular one of said second masks has a plurality of second designs that customize said second die to a plurality of second configurations respectively, (iii) said first die, said second die and said inductor form said voltage-controlled oscillator, and (iv) a selected one of said first designs and a selected one of said second designs establish a plurality of performances of said voltage-controlled oscillator.
12. The method according to claim 11 , further comprising a step of:
fabricating said substrate with a plurality of third masks, wherein a particular one of said third masks has a plurality of third designs that customize said substrate to a plurality of third configurations respectively.
13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein said performances comprise one or more harmonics of said signal as determined by said particular third mask.
14. The method according to claim 12 , wherein said performances comprise a bandwidth of said signal as determined by said particular first mask, said particular second mask, and said particular third mask.
15. The method according to claim 12 , wherein said performances comprise a range of said frequency of said signal as determined by said particular first mask, said particular second mask, and said particular third mask.
16. The method according to claim 12 , wherein said performances comprise a phase noise of said signal as determined by said particular first mask, said particular second mask, and said particular third mask.
17. The method according to claim 11 , wherein said first configurations of said first die have different variable capacitance values at a particular control voltage.
18. The method according to claim 11 , wherein said second configurations of said second die have different transistor bias networks.
19. The method according to claim 11 , wherein said second configurations of said second die have a different number of transistors connected to each other.
20. The method according to claim 11 , wherein said second mask defines one or more vias.