Abstract: A frequency synthesizer and an automatic calibration device are disclosed. An automatic calibration device for a phase-locked loop based frequency synthesizer includes: a frequency-to-digital converter for converting a frequency of a signal outputted from a voltage controlled oscillator into a first digital value; a frequency difference detector for calculating a difference between the first digital value outputted from the frequency-to-digital converter and a second digital value corresponding to a target frequency; an automatic frequency calibration logic for selecting an optimal control code for a capacitor bank such that an output frequency of the voltage controlled oscillator is closer to the target frequency; and a loop bandwidth calibration logic for tuning a charge pump gain such that a loop bandwidth is kept constant in the optimal control code using the frequency-to-digital converter.

Abstract: An automatic frequency calibration apparatus and a method thereof for a phase-locked loop based frequency synthesizer are disclosed. The apparatus includes a frequency-to-digital converter configured to convert a frequency of a VCO output signal to a first digital value, a target value setting section configured to provide a second digital value corresponding to a target frequency, and a finite state machine configured to calibrate the frequency of the VCO output signal by using the difference of the first digital value and the second digital value. Accordingly, the calibration speed and a frequency resolution of the automatic frequency calibration apparatus in a frequency synthesizer may be enhanced.

Abstract: A wide-band voltage controlled oscillator includes a cross-connected transistors for providing a stable oscillating signal, an inductor unit for providing an inductance for determining a resonance frequency, a varactor bank including a plurality of switchable variable-capacitance elements parallely connected to the inductor unit and having a varactor capacitance varying with the first switching signal and a tuning voltage, a subsection capacitor bank including a plurality of switchable capacitor elements parallely connected to the inductor unit and having predetermined capacitances for grouping frequency sections, and a binary-weighted capacitor bank including a plurality of binary-weighted capacitor arrays parallely connected to the inductor unit and a bank selector for selecting one of the binary-weighted capacitor arrays, wherein each binary-weighted capacitor arrays includes a plurality of parallely connected switchable capacitor elements selectively switched on by a third switching signal to determine a

Abstract: An automatic frequency calibration apparatus and a method thereof for a phase-locked loop based frequency synthesizer are disclosed. The apparatus includes a frequency-to-digital converter configured to convert a frequency of a VCO output signal to a first digital value, a target value setting section configured to provide a second digital value corresponding to a target frequency, and a finite state machine configured to calibrate the frequency of the VCO output signal by using the difference of the first digital value and the second digital value. Accordingly, the calibration speed and a frequency resolution of the automatic frequency calibration apparatus in a frequency synthesizer may be enhanced.

Abstract: There is provided a highly linear differential amplifying circuit. The highly linear differential amplifying circuit includes: a differential amplifying unit including a main differential amplifying unit having a differential pair of transistors for amplifying a difference of two input signals and an auxiliary amplifying unit connected in parallel with the main differential amplifying unit, wherein second-order derivatives of transconductances of the main differential amplifying unit and the auxiliary differential amplifying unit are properly set to have an offset; and a source degeneration resistor unit including a first source degeneration resistor to a fourth source degeneration resistor. Accordingly, the linearity of the differential amplifying circuit is improved at a wide output power region.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a hybrid balun apparatus and a receiver thereof. The hybrid balun apparatus comprises a passive unit, a first active unit, and a second active unit. The passive unit receives an input signal, and outputs an in-phase signal having an identical phase compared to the input signal and an inverse-phase signal having an inverse phase compared to the input signal. The first active unit compensates the in-phase signal of the passive unit corresponding to the input signal. The second active unit compensates the in-phase signal of the passive unit in response to the input signal.

Abstract: There is provided a highly linear differential amplifying circuit. The highly linear differential amplifying circuit includes: a differential amplifying unit including a main differential amplifying unit having a differential pair of transistors for amplifying a difference of two input signals and an auxiliary amplifying unit connected in parallel with the main differential amplifying unit, wherein second-order derivatives of transconductances of the main differential amplifying unit and the auxiliary differential amplifying unit are properly set to have an offset; and a source degeneration resistor unit including a first source degeneration resistor to a fourth source degeneration resistor. Accordingly, the linearity of the differential amplifying circuit is improved at a wide output power region.

Abstract: A wide-band voltage controlled oscillator includes a cross-connected transistors for providing a stable oscillating signal, an inductor unit for providing an inductance for determining a resonance frequency, a varactor bank including a plurality of switchable variable-capacitance elements parallely connected to the inductor unit and having a varactor capacitance varying with the first switching signal and a tuning voltage, a subsection capacitor bank including a plurality of switchable capacitor elements parallely connected to the inductor unit and having predetermined capacitances for grouping frequency sections, and a binary-weighted capacitor bank including a plurality of binary-weighted capacitor arrays parallely connected to the inductor unit and a bank selector for selecting one of the binary-weighted capacitor arrays, wherein each binary-weighted capacitor arrays includes a plurality of parallely connected switchable capacitor elements selectively switched on by a third switching signal to determine a

Abstract: The present invention relates to a hybrid balun apparatus and a receiver thereof. The hybrid balun apparatus comprises a passive unit, a first active unit, and a second active unit. The passive unit receives an input signal, and outputs an in-phase signal having an identical phase compared to the input signal and an inverse-phase signal having an inverse phase compared to the input signal. The first active unit compensates the in-phase signal of the passive unit corresponding to the input signal. The second active unit compensates the in-phase signal of the passive unit in response to the input signal.

Abstract: A method for producing a heterobipolar transistor, arranged on a substrate of semiconductor material on which is grown a semiconductor sequence for a collector, a base and an emitter, which method includes: etching the layer sequence to form a transistor with a mesa structure, carrying out a first planarizing step to the upper limit of the base during which the surface of the base is protected by a protecting portion of the emitter layer adjacent to the base; removing this protective layer; depositing a metal contact layer for the base; carrying out a second planarizing step for the base emitter mesa; and finally depositing a connecting metallization layer for the collector, base and emitter.