High Performance Fractional-N RF Frequency Synthesizer PLLs for 5G, WiFi, etc

Overview

Perceptia’s DeepSub™ pPLL08F is a family of high performance RF frequency synthesizer PLLs featuring industry leading jitter (sub-300fs), phase noise and compact area suitable for RF applications, including 5G and WiFi at frequencies up to 8GHz. It is suitable for use as an LO and/or clocking ADCs/DACs with demanding SNR requirements.

Perceptia’s second generation pPLL08F family is available on technologies from 5nm to 40nm and across multiple foundry partners. We are continually expanding the range of technologies where it is silicon proven and can quickly port it to other technologies or foundries upon request.

pPLL08 uses a LC tank DCO to achieve the performance demands of critical RF systems. It is low power (< 3 mW in GF 22FDX) and is extremely compact (< 0.05 sq mm). The all digital architecture minimises interference from other circuits on the same die, making it capable of supporting SNDR better than 60dB.

pPLL08 integrates easily into any SoC design and includes all the views and models required by back end flows.

The pPLL08F is built using Perceptia’s second generation all digital PLL technology. This robust technology delivers identical performance across many processes, regardless of PVT conditions. It consumes a fraction of the area of an analog PLL whilst maintaining comparable performance.

pPLL08F can be used as an integer-N PLL or as a fractional-N PLL. The fractional-N mode provides a high flexibility to choose the best combination of input and output clock frequencies at the system level.

Perceptia further provides integration support and offers customization and migration services.

Key Features

Ultra-low jitter, less than 300fs RMS integrated between 12kHz to 20MHz.
Suitable for many RF applications, including LO, clocks for, ADC, DAC, high-speed PHY
Small die area (< 0.05 sq mm), using a LC tank oscillator
Output frequency can be from 1 to 2047 times the input reference, up to 8GHz
Reference clock from 5MHz to 1GHz
Second-generation digital PLL architecture, providing integer and 24 bit fractional multiplication
Primary PLL output running at the main DCO frequency for lowest noise clocking
Two further PLL outputs via separate postscalers

Post-scalers programmable from 1 to 2,040

Lock-detect output
PLL output duty cycle better than 49 / 51%
Highly testable using industry standard flows

ATPG vectors provided
Specification of functional tests to supplement ATPG testing

Benefits

Fractional Multiplication with frequencies up to 8GHz
Extremely low jitter (< 300fs RMS)
Small size (< 0.05 sq mm)
Low Power (< 3 mW in GlobalFoundries 22FDX)
Support for many wireless standards including 5G and WiFi
Easy integration

Block Diagram

Applications

RF LO
Clock for RF ADC/DAC
5G and LTE radio (3GPP)
WiFi Radio (802.11ax)
SerDes
Optical transceiver

Deliverables

Datasheet
Detailed Verilog behavioral model
Timing models
LEF5.6 abstract for floor planning/chip assembly
Integration Guide
DFT Guide
Integration support
Characterization report
GDSII layout macrocell
CDL netlist for LVS
DRC, LVS and SI verification reports
Netlist model with accompanying documentation – allowing integration of the module in scan chains

Technical Specifications

Foundry, Node

From 5nm to 65nm

Maturity

In production

Availability

Now

GLOBALFOUNDRIES

Pre-Silicon: 12nm , 14nm , 14nm LPE , 14nm LPP , 20nm LPM , 28nm , 28nm FDSOI , 28nm HPP , 28nm LPH , 28nm SLP , 32nm , 40nm LP , 55nm , 55nm LPX , 65nm , 65nm LP , 65nm LPe

SMIC

Pre-Silicon: 14nm , 28nm , 28nm HK , 28nm HKC+ , 28nm PS , 40nm LL , 55nm G , 55nm LL , 65nm LL

Samsung

Pre-Silicon: 7nm , 10nm , 28nm FDS , 28nm LPH , 28nm LPP , 32nm LP , 45nm LP , 65nm LP

TSMC

Pre-Silicon: 5nm , 7nm , 10nm , 12nm , 16nm , 20nm , 22nm , 28nm , 28nm HP , 28nm HPC , 28nm HPCP , 28nm HPL , 28nm HPM , 28nm LP , 40nm G , 40nm LP , 45nm GS , 45nm LP , 55nm FL , 55nm G , 55nm GP , 55nm LP , 55nm NF , 55nm ULP , 55nm ULPEF , 55nm UP , 65nm G , 65nm GP , 65nm LP

UMC

Pre-Silicon: 14nm , 28nm , 28nm HLP , 28nm HPC , 28nm HPM , 28nm LP , 55nm , 65nm LL , 65nm LP , 65nm SP

Request Info