Title :
A 7.9-mW 5.6-GHz Digitally Controlled Variable Gain Amplifier With Linearization
Author :
Kumar, Thangarasu Bharatha ; Ma, Kaixue ; Yeo, Kiat Seng
Author_Institution :
Integrated Circuit Design Centre for Excellence, Nanyang Technol. Univ. (NTU), Singapore, Singapore
Abstract :
This paper presents the design and validation of a compact high-performance digitally controlled variable-gain amplifier (DVGA). By using MOS switches and a linearizer, the designed DVGA demonstrates high linearity and gain flatness over a wide gain control range. The 6-bit DVGA is designed in a commercial 0.18-μm SiGe BiCMOS technology achieving a variable gain range from -16.5 to +6.5 dB, a 3-dB bandwidth from dc to 5.6 GHz, a ± 0.75-dB gain flatness from dc to 4 GHz, both input and output return loss greater than 15 dB, consuming 7.9 mW over the entire gain control range, and has a core circuit area of 170μm×60μm.
Keywords :
BiCMOS analogue integrated circuits; Ge-Si alloys; MMIC; MOS analogue integrated circuits; automatic gain control; digital control; linearisation techniques; microwave amplifiers; switches; BiCMOS technology; DVGA; MOS switches; SiGe; bandwidth 5.6 GHz; core circuit; gain 3 dB; high performance digital controlled variable gain amplifier; linearization; power 7.9 mW; size 0.18 mum; wide automatic gain control range; word length 6 bit; Bandwidth; Gain; Gain control; Heterojunction bipolar transistors; Linearity; Transconductance; 60-GHz communication; Digitally controlled; linearizer technique; low power design; millimeter wave; silicon–germanium (SiGe) BiCMOS; variable gain amplifier (VGA);
Journal_Title :
Microwave Theory and Techniques, IEEE Transactions on
DOI :
10.1109/TMTT.2012.2217151
