A Tunable CMOS IR-UWB Pulse Generator Based on Feedback Controlled Oscillator Switching

This brief presents a tunable Impulse-Radio Ultra-Wideband (IR-UWB) pulse generator based on feedback oscillator switching. The circuit provides a wide range of pulse amplitude and width tuning, thus enabling the required pulse shaping for a desired pulse repetition rate and/or a wireless transmission range. Feedback controlled switching prevents the potential omission of the UWB pulse generation and provides low UWB pulse energy variations at low bias currents and a wide temperature range, ensuring system robustness with respect to temperature variations. The pulse amplitude is tunable within 0.27 Vpp to 2.05 Vpp, while the pulse width tuning range is 1-6.5 ns. The total energy consumption of the IR-UWB pulse generator at the 50 Mpps pulse repetition rate is equal to 25.4 pJ/pulse for the pulse amplitude equal to 0.27 Vpp, while for the pulse amplitude equal to 2.05 Vpp, it is increased up to 99.8 pJ/pulse. The circuit occupies a core area of 0.56 mm(2) in a 0.18 mu m CMOS technology.