Abstract: In some aspects, the disclosure is directed to methods and systems for utilizing a thin-film bulk acoustic resonator (FBAR) as a frequency reference for a phase-locked loop (PLL) circuit controlling frequency of a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO). In some implementations, the FBAR-based oscillator may be used as a reference to an analog or digital PLL circuit (either directly, or divided to a lower frequency). In other implementations, the FBAR-based oscillator may be used as a reference to a mixing-based PLL rather than a dividing-based PLL. Through these implementations, the noise contribution of many of the PLL circuit components or elements may be reduced (e.g. noise from a delta-sigma modulator (DSM), multiple modulus divider (MMD), phase frequency detector (PFD)/charge pump (CP), etc.).