Low-Power Architecture and Circuit Techniques for High-Boost Wide-Band <formula> <tex>$G_m$</tex></formula>–<formula><tex>$C$</tex></formula> Filters

Abstract

A 330-MHz fifth-order G <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">m</sub> -C continuous-time low-pass filter with 24-dB boost is presented. Existing solutions are found to be unsuitable for low-power, wide-band, and high-boost operation. The proposed solution realizes two symmetric real axis zeros by efficiently combining transfer functions associated with all nodes of cascaded biquad cells. Application of Gilbert cell as a variable transconductor, for achieving constant parasitic capacitance across wide programmability range, is illustrated. A new common-mode feedback error amplifier that improves common-mode accuracy without compromising on bandwidth or circuit complexity is introduced. A prototype is fabricated in a standard 0.35-mum CMOS process. Experimental results show -41 dB of IM3 for 250-mV peak-peak swing with 43 mW of power dissipation