Ultra-low noise regenerative frequency divider

Published

November 11, 2012

Author(s)

Archita Hati, Craig W. Nelson, Corey A. Barnes, Danielle G. Lirette, Jason A. DeSalvo, David A. Howe

Abstract

We designed ultra-low noise regenerative divider-by-2 circuits that operate at input frequencies of 20 MHz and 10 MHz. We achieved residual output-referred single-sideband phase noise below -162 dBc/Hz at 10 Hz offset for a single divider at these frequencies. In order to measure such a low noise we also built a cross-spectrum measurement system that has a noise floor of -175 dBc/Hz at 10 Hz offset from a 5 MHz and 10 MHz carrier. The low noise of the divider and the measurement system are achieved by use of custom-built mixers/phase detectors that use 2N2222A bipolar junction transistors (BJTs) in a conventional double balanced diode ring.

Citation

IEEE Transactions on Ultrasonics Ferroelectrics and Frequency Control

Volume

59

Issue

11

Pub Type

Journals

Keywords

Frequency synthesis, Mixer, Phase noise, Regenerative divider

Citation

Hati, A. , Nelson, C. , Barnes, C. , Lirette, D. , DeSalvo, J. and Howe, D. (2012), Ultra-low noise regenerative frequency divider, IEEE Transactions on Ultrasonics Ferroelectrics and Frequency Control (Accessed October 12, 2025)