High-Frequency, Integrated Oscillators Peter Kinget Columbia University Abstract: Oscillators perform a critical function in almost all electronic devices. They provide the clock and time reference for computing and digital communication systems, and carriers and frequency references for wireless applications. The continuing scaling of semiconductor technologies results in a dramatic scaling of device speeds; digital clock frequencies are moving towards tens of GigaHertz; new frequency bands of the spectrum are also opening up for consumer wireless applications. Economics, packaging challenges, form factor reduction, all drive towards integrating the oscillators on the integrated circuit (IC) so a fully integrated system on a chip (SoC) is obtained. We will discuss the research challenges that emerge from these trends. Maintaining a low relative jitter and good phase noise characteristics becomes increasingly difficult for higher oscillation frequencies. Additionally, oscillators on a system IC are exposed to large amounts of interference and improving the oscillator interference immunity is necessary. Different design solutions and areas of current research will be discussed.