AbstractThe effect of parameter mismatches on the output waveforms of a popular voltage‐controlled oscillator is investigated, schematizing the circuit as a system of two mutually coupled oscillators, whose describing equations are derived in a perturbation form. The circuit is studied using the method of two time‐scales showing the existence of synchronization phenomena leading in presence of mismatches to a locking frequency, which significantly differs from the natural frequencies of the tanks, and to an oscillation amplitude different from that of the symmetric case. We also show that in‐phase and quadrature oscillations at the drain nodes can be generated with a proper parameter setting. Circuit simulations confirm the presence of a synchronized oscillation, which is consistent with the prediction of the presented analysis. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.