On-chip self-calibration of RF circuits using specification-driven built-in self test (S-BIST)

In the nanometer design regime, analog and RF circuits are expected to be increasingly susceptible to process, noise and thermal variations. Shifting threshold voltages on the NMOS and PMOS devices of a mixer, LNA or power amplifier, for example, can affect the design specifications of such circuits (such as gain). Thermal variations can affect carrier mobilities of NMOS and PMOS devices differently, further affecting circuit performance. To solve these problems, a new self-calibration approach driven by a Specification-driven built-in self test procedure (S-BIST) is proposed. This S-BIST procedure uses alternate specification test techniques to predict the performance specifications of the circuit-under-test from the S-BIST response. The results of the S-BIST procedure are used to change the operating point of the circuit to maximally compensate the analog/RF circuit for loss of performance. The proposed S-BIST approach has been applied to a 2.4-GHz low noise amplifier and performs well in the presence of temperature and process variations.