Nonlinear analysis of oscillator mutual injection locking through inductor coupling

Abstract

This work presents an in-depth investigation of the nonlinear behavior of two mutually injection-locked oscillators through inductor coupling. An analytical formulation, solved through an innovative procedure, facilitates the understanding of the qualitative transformations in the system solutions when increasing the coupling factor. The analysis demonstrates that, in a manner similar to the unilaterally injection-locked oscillators, families of disconnected/connected curves are obtained when increasing this factor, although the patterns, associated with distinct operation modes, are more complex. Then, an accurate numerical method to predict the behavior of coupled transistor-based oscillators is presented, based on nonlinear admittance models of the individual oscillators. Mathematical conditions are derived to solve the coupled system through a two-level contour-intersection technique. In this way, all the solutions coexisting for a given set of element and parameter values are calculated simultaneously, in an exhaustive manner. The cases of two coupled oscillators at the fundamental frequency and at 1:3 frequency ratio are considered. Possible applications include the oscillator phase-noise reduction and the implementation of sensors using the phase shift between the two oscillator elements.