Phase Locked Loop

(PLL)

What is a PLL?
A PLL is a negative feedback system
where an oscillator-generated signal
is phase and frequency locked to a
reference signal.
Analogous to a cars cruise control

Introduction
PLLs are widely used in a variety of
applications include:
line synchronisation and colour sub-carrier
recovery in TV receivers
synthesised local oscillators and FM
demodulators in radio receivers
frequency synthesisers in transceivers and
signal generators

Introduction
Parts of a PLL:
Phase Detector
Filter
Voltage Controlled Oscillator
Programmable Counter

PLL Control System

Detecting the input /
reference signals
phase

Most of the time, RC

low pass filter is used

Or sometimes also
refer to as frequency
divider

Voltage controlled
oscillator / Voltage
controlled
multivibrator

Phase Detector

Acts as comparator
Produces a voltage proportional to the phase
difference between input and output signal
Voltage becomes a control signal

1) Phase Only Sensitive

Detector
Diode ring mixer phase detector:

This is the simplest form of phase

detector and it can be synthesized from a
diode ring mixer.

1) Phase Only Sensitive

Detector
XOR circuit

provide a very useful simple phase

detector for some applications.

2) Phase-Frequency
Detector
Edge-triggered - Input duty-cycle doesnt
matter
Pulse-widths proportional to phase error
Vdd

GoFaster

Q
DFF

Ref

CK
R
DLY

Vdd

R
D
D

Q
DFF

FB

CK

GoSlower

2) Phase-Frequency
Detector
States:
GoFaste GoSlowe
Effect:
r
r
0
0
No Change
0
1
Slow Down
1
0
Speed Up
1
1
Avoid DeadZone

2) Phase-Frequency
Detector
Example:
Ref
F
B
GoFaster
GoSlower
Vctl

What is Dead-zone?
Dead-zone occurs when the loop doesnt
respond to small phase errors - e.g. 10 ps
phase error at PFD inputs.

To overcome this one solution is to add a

delay in the phase detector reset path, i.e.
on the output of the NAND gate.

Filter

Determines dynamic characteristics of PLL

Specify Capture Range (bandwidth)
Specify Tracking Range

Receives signal from Phase Detector and

filters accordingly

Filter
The PLL filter is needed to remove any
unwanted high frequency components which
might pass out of the phase detector and
appear in the VCO tune line.
The filter also affects the ability of the loop to
change frequencies quickly. If the filter has a
very low cut-off frequency then the changes in
tune voltage will only take place slowly, and
the VCO will not be able to change its
frequency as fast.

Voltage Controlled Oscillator

(VCO)

Set tuning range

Set noise margin
Creates low noise clock oscillation

VCO Requirement
VCO tuning range:
It is obvious that the voltage controlled
oscillator must be able to tune over the
range that the loop is expected to operate
over.
This requirement is not always easy to meet
and may require the VCO or resonant circuit
to be switched in some extreme
circumstances.

VCO Requirement
VCO tuning gain:
The gain of the voltage controlled
oscillator is important.
It is measured in terms of volts per Hz (or
V/MHz, etc).
The voltage controlled oscillator will gain
affects some of the overall loop design
considerations and calculations.

VCO Requirement
VCO V/f slope:
It is a key requirement the voltage to
frequency curve is monotonic, i.e. it
always changes in the same sense
If it changes, this can cause the loop to
become unstable.

VCO Requirement
Phase noise performance:
particular importance in some PLL
applications - particularly where they are
used in frequency synthesizers.

VCO Feedback
Like any oscillator, a VCO may be
considered as an amplifier and a feedback
loop.
The gain of the amplifier may be denoted
as A and the feedback as B.

VCO Feedback
For the oscillator to oscillate on a given
frequency, the system includes a resonant
circuit to ensure that the oscillation occurs on
a given frequency.
The resonant circuit can be one of a number
of configurations from an LC resonant circuit
in either series or parallel resonance
dependent upon the circuit, or a quartz
crystal, etc.
The most common types of oscillator used in
Colpitts and Clapp oscillator.

VCO Tuning
To make a VCO, the oscillator needs to be
tuned by a voltage.
This can be achieved by making the
variable capacitor from varactor diodes.
The tune voltage for the VCO can then be
applied to the varactors.

VCO Tuning

Voltage controlled oscillator circuit

Programmable Counter

Divider
Divides the VCO output by the degree of the
open loop gain
Feedback loop allows phase comparison