A 2.5-GHz low-power, high dynamic range, self-tuned Q-enhanced LC filter in SOI

Q-enhanced LC filter technology offers a promising approach to remove the off-chip preselect filter still required in current transceivers. However, reported designs fail to meet stringent system specifications such as dynamic range and noise figure for existing wireless standards. The complexity and inaccuracy of frequency and Q tuning have also prevented acceptance in industry applications. This paper presents a low-power and high-performance design targeted at Bluetooth in a silicon-on-isolator (SOI) CMOS process. Drawing 5 mA from a 3-V supply, it achieves 23-dB voltage gain (14-dB power gain), approximately 6-dB noise figure, and a 153-dB·Hz 1-dB compression point dynamic range, when operating with a 70-MHz bandwidth at 2.5 GHz. A simplified approach to frequency and Q tuning is also demonstrated, making Q-enhanced LC filtering feasible in industry application for the first time.