A Fully Digital Semirotational Frequency Detection Algorithm for Bang-Bang CDRs

Abstract

This brief presents a new frequency acquisition method using a semirotational frequency detection (SRFD) algorithm for referenceless clock and data recovery (CDR) in a serial-link receiver. The proposed SRFD algorithm classifies the bang-bang phase detector (BBPD) outputs to estimate the current phase state and detects the frequency mismatch between the input data and the sampling clock. The voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO)-track path in a digital loop filter (DLF) enables online calibration of a drifted frequency of the VCO caused by temperature or voltage variation after a frequency acquisition. The proposed algorithm can be implemented as a digitally synthesized circuit, lowering design efforts for referenceless CDRs. A 10-Gb/s transceiver IC with the proposed algorithm, fabricated in a 65-nm CMOS process, demonstrates successful recovery of the input phase without any reference clock.