OPTIMIZATION-ORIENTED DESIGN OF FREE-RUNNING AND TUNABLE MICROWAVE-OSCILLATORS BY FULLY NONLINEAR CAD TECHNIQUES

The article reviews the application of optimization techniques, in con junction with the methods of harmonic-balance simulation, to the nonli near design of free-running and tunable microwave oscillators. The pur pose is to give an in depth treatment of many different aspects of the practical oscillator design problem, and of their formulation in term s of numerical optimization. This includes free-running and tunable os cillators, with both discrete (multiple-cavity) and continuous tuning. Conventional specifications on electrical performance are extended to include near-carrier phase noise, steady-state stability, and tuning linearity in the VCO case. The problem of designing oscillators integr ated with other nonlinear subsystems to build up multifunctional modul es is also addressed. Several examples of application to typical engin eering problems are provided. (C) 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.