SEMICONDUCTOR INTEGRATED CIRCUITS

A wideband large dynamic range and high linearity RF front-end for U-band mobile DTV

Rongjiang Liu, Shengyou Liu, Guiliang Guo, Xu Cheng and Yuepeng Yan

+ Author Affiliations

 Corresponding author: Liu Rongjiang, ggdl_969@163.com

PDF

Abstract: A wideband large dynamic range and high linearity U-band RF front-end for mobile DTV is introduced, and includes a noise-cancelling low-noise amplifier (LNA), an RF programmable gain amplifier (RFPGA) and a current communicating passive mixer. The noise/distortion cancelling structure and RC post-distortion compensation are employed to improve the linearity of the LNA. An RFPGA with five stages provides large dynamic range and fine gain resolution. A simple resistor voltage network in the passive mixer decreases the gate bias voltage of the mixing transistor, and optimum linearity and symmetrical mixing is obtained at the same time. The RF front-end is implemented in a 0.25 μm CMOS process. Tests show that it achieves an ⅡP3 (third-order intercept point) of -17 dBm, a conversion gain of 39 dB, and a noise figure of 5.8 dB. The RFPGA achieves a dynamic range of -36.2 to 23.5 dB with a resolution of 0.32 dB.

Key words: RF front-endhigh linearitydynamic rangeLNARF programmable gain amplifiercurrent communicating passive mixer



[1]
Xia Hong. Study on media convergence in the context of "triple play". Jiangxi:Nanchang University, 2012
[2]
Luo F L. Mobile multimedia broadcasting standards:technology and practice. Springer, 2008 http://ci.nii.ac.jp/ncid/BB01019854?l=en
[3]
Saeedi S, Atarodi M. Single-VCO multi-band DTV frequency synthesizer with a divide-by-3 frequency divider for quadrature signal generation. Analog Integrated Circuits and Signal Processing, 2010, 64(2):103 doi: 10.1007/s10470-009-9437-0
[4]
Kim H, Kang S, Chang J H, et al. A multi-standard multi-band tuner for mobile TV SoC with GSM Interoperability. Radio Fre-quency Integrated Circuits Symposium (RFIC), 2010:188 http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/5477290/
[5]
Bruccoleri F, Klumperink E A M, Nauta B. Wide-band CMOS low-noise amplifier exploiting thermal noise canceling. IEEE J Solid-State Circuits, 2004, 39(2):275 doi: 10.1109/JSSC.2003.821786
[6]
Chang C P, Chen J H, Hung S H, et al. A novel post-linearization technique for fully integrated 5.5 GHz high-linearity LNA. Fourth International Conference on Innovative Computing, Information and Control, 2009:577 http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/5412650/?tp=&arnumber=5412650&openedRefinements%3D*%26filter%3DAND(NOT(4283010803))%26pageNumber%3D5%26rowsPerPage%3D100%26queryText%3D(%20wang%20%20h.%20o.au)
[7]
Zhang H, Sánchez-Sinencio E. Linearization techniques for CMOS low noise amplifiers:a tutorial. IEEE Trans Circuits SystⅠ:Regular Papers, 2011, 58(1):22 doi: 10.1109/TCSI.2010.2055353
[8]
Kim T W, Kim B, Cho Y, et al. Low power 60 dB gain range with 0.25 dB resolution CMOS RF programmable gain amplifier for dual-band DAB/T-DMB tuner IC. IEEE Asian Solid-State Circuits Conference, 2005:133 https://www.infona.pl/resource/bwmeta1.element.ieee-art-000004017549
[9]
Abiri E, Najibi G R, Najibi S. Improvement of CMOS RF gain amplifier using differential circuit transconductance linearization. IEEE Second International Conference on Computer and Electrical Engineering, 2009:295 https://www.infona.pl/resource/bwmeta1.element.ieee-art-000005380484
[10]
Cherazi S, Mirzaei A, Abidi A A. Noise in currentcommunicating passive FET mixer. IEEE Trans Circuits SystⅠ:Regular Papers, 2011, 57(2):332
[11]
Liu Rongjiang, Guo Guiliang, Yan Yuepeng. High linearity current communicating passive mixer employing a simple resistor bias. Journal of Semiconductors, 2013, 34(3):035005 doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/34/3/035005
[12]
Retz G, Burton P. A CMOS up-conversion receiver front-end for cable and terrestrial DTV applications. IEEE International Solid-State Circuits Conference, Digest of Technical Papers, 2003:442 http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/1234378/
[13]
Cha H K, Kwon K, Choi J, et al. A CMOS wideband RF front-end with mismatch calibrated harmonic rejection mixer for terrestrial digital TV tuner applications. IEEE Trans Microw Theory Tech, 2010, 58(8):2143 doi: 10.1109/TMTT.2010.2053072
[14]
Shih Y S, Kuo M C. A 65 nm CMOS dual-band RF receiver front-end for DVB-H. VLSI Design Automation and Test (VLSI-DAT), 2010:83
[15]
Im D, Kim H, Lee K. A broadband CMOS RF front-end for universal tuners supporting multi-standard terrestrial and cable broadcasts. IEEE J Solid-State Circuits, 2012, 47(2):392 doi: 10.1109/JSSC.2011.2168650
Fig. 1.  The structure of the RF front-end.

Fig. 2.  The structure of the LNA

Fig. 3.  The concept of post-distortion cancellation.

Fig. 4.  The structure of RFPGA

Fig. 5.  (a) The active balun circuit. (b) The third and fourth stages.

Fig. 6.  (a) The mixer bias in the traditional mixer. (b) The mixer bias in the proposed mixer.

Fig. 7.  The passive mixer.

Fig. 8.  (a) The layout of the circuit. (b) The test board of the circuit.

Fig. 9.  Test of the RF front-end. (a) S11, (b) NF and conversion gain, (c) ⅡP3, and (d) dynamic range of the RFPGA.

Table 1.   Comparison of published RF front-end data.

[1]
Xia Hong. Study on media convergence in the context of "triple play". Jiangxi:Nanchang University, 2012
[2]
Luo F L. Mobile multimedia broadcasting standards:technology and practice. Springer, 2008 http://ci.nii.ac.jp/ncid/BB01019854?l=en
[3]
Saeedi S, Atarodi M. Single-VCO multi-band DTV frequency synthesizer with a divide-by-3 frequency divider for quadrature signal generation. Analog Integrated Circuits and Signal Processing, 2010, 64(2):103 doi: 10.1007/s10470-009-9437-0
[4]
Kim H, Kang S, Chang J H, et al. A multi-standard multi-band tuner for mobile TV SoC with GSM Interoperability. Radio Fre-quency Integrated Circuits Symposium (RFIC), 2010:188 http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/5477290/
[5]
Bruccoleri F, Klumperink E A M, Nauta B. Wide-band CMOS low-noise amplifier exploiting thermal noise canceling. IEEE J Solid-State Circuits, 2004, 39(2):275 doi: 10.1109/JSSC.2003.821786
[6]
Chang C P, Chen J H, Hung S H, et al. A novel post-linearization technique for fully integrated 5.5 GHz high-linearity LNA. Fourth International Conference on Innovative Computing, Information and Control, 2009:577 http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/5412650/?tp=&arnumber=5412650&openedRefinements%3D*%26filter%3DAND(NOT(4283010803))%26pageNumber%3D5%26rowsPerPage%3D100%26queryText%3D(%20wang%20%20h.%20o.au)
[7]
Zhang H, Sánchez-Sinencio E. Linearization techniques for CMOS low noise amplifiers:a tutorial. IEEE Trans Circuits SystⅠ:Regular Papers, 2011, 58(1):22 doi: 10.1109/TCSI.2010.2055353
[8]
Kim T W, Kim B, Cho Y, et al. Low power 60 dB gain range with 0.25 dB resolution CMOS RF programmable gain amplifier for dual-band DAB/T-DMB tuner IC. IEEE Asian Solid-State Circuits Conference, 2005:133 https://www.infona.pl/resource/bwmeta1.element.ieee-art-000004017549
[9]
Abiri E, Najibi G R, Najibi S. Improvement of CMOS RF gain amplifier using differential circuit transconductance linearization. IEEE Second International Conference on Computer and Electrical Engineering, 2009:295 https://www.infona.pl/resource/bwmeta1.element.ieee-art-000005380484
[10]
Cherazi S, Mirzaei A, Abidi A A. Noise in currentcommunicating passive FET mixer. IEEE Trans Circuits SystⅠ:Regular Papers, 2011, 57(2):332
[11]
Liu Rongjiang, Guo Guiliang, Yan Yuepeng. High linearity current communicating passive mixer employing a simple resistor bias. Journal of Semiconductors, 2013, 34(3):035005 doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/34/3/035005
[12]
Retz G, Burton P. A CMOS up-conversion receiver front-end for cable and terrestrial DTV applications. IEEE International Solid-State Circuits Conference, Digest of Technical Papers, 2003:442 http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/1234378/
[13]
Cha H K, Kwon K, Choi J, et al. A CMOS wideband RF front-end with mismatch calibrated harmonic rejection mixer for terrestrial digital TV tuner applications. IEEE Trans Microw Theory Tech, 2010, 58(8):2143 doi: 10.1109/TMTT.2010.2053072
[14]
Shih Y S, Kuo M C. A 65 nm CMOS dual-band RF receiver front-end for DVB-H. VLSI Design Automation and Test (VLSI-DAT), 2010:83
[15]
Im D, Kim H, Lee K. A broadband CMOS RF front-end for universal tuners supporting multi-standard terrestrial and cable broadcasts. IEEE J Solid-State Circuits, 2012, 47(2):392 doi: 10.1109/JSSC.2011.2168650
  • Search

    Advanced Search >>

    GET CITATION

    shu

    Export: BibTex EndNote

    Article Metrics

    Article views: 2085 Times PDF downloads: 18 Times Cited by: 0 Times

    History

    Received: 15 March 2013 Revised: 21 May 2013 Online: Published: 01 October 2013

    Catalog

      Email This Article

      User name:
      Email:*请输入正确邮箱
      Code:*验证码错误
      Rongjiang Liu, Shengyou Liu, Guiliang Guo, Xu Cheng, Yuepeng Yan. A wideband large dynamic range and high linearity RF front-end for U-band mobile DTV[J]. Journal of Semiconductors, 2013, 34(10): 105003. doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/34/10/105003 R J Liu, S Y Liu, G L Guo, X Cheng, Y P Yan. A wideband large dynamic range and high linearity RF front-end for U-band mobile DTV[J]. J. Semicond., 2013, 34(10): 105003. doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/34/10/105003.Export: BibTex EndNote
      Citation:
      Rongjiang Liu, Shengyou Liu, Guiliang Guo, Xu Cheng, Yuepeng Yan. A wideband large dynamic range and high linearity RF front-end for U-band mobile DTV[J]. Journal of Semiconductors, 2013, 34(10): 105003. doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/34/10/105003

      R J Liu, S Y Liu, G L Guo, X Cheng, Y P Yan. A wideband large dynamic range and high linearity RF front-end for U-band mobile DTV[J]. J. Semicond., 2013, 34(10): 105003. doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/34/10/105003.
      Export: BibTex EndNote

      A wideband large dynamic range and high linearity RF front-end for U-band mobile DTV

      doi: 10.1088/1674-4926/34/10/105003
      Funds:

      Project supported by the National High-Tech R & D Program of China (No. 2011AA040102) and the National Science and Technology Major Project of the Ministry of Science and Technology of China (No. 2009ZX01031-002-008-002)

      the National Science and Technology Major Project of the Ministry of Science and Technology of China 2009ZX01031-002-008-002

      the National High-Tech R & D Program of China 2011AA040102

      More Information
      • Corresponding author: Liu Rongjiang, ggdl_969@163.com
      • Received Date: 2013-03-15
      • Revised Date: 2013-05-21
      • Published Date: 2013-10-01

      Catalog

        /

        DownLoad:  Full-Size Img  PowerPoint
        Return
        Return