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A Digital Controlled Accurate Linear-in-dB Variable Gain Amplifier Based on Current-Steering Structure with Compensation Circuit

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Abstract

The paper proposes a radio frequency front-end ultra-wideband variable gain amplifier (VGA) which is based on improved current-steering topology. The design is implemented in Tower Jazz 0.18 μm SiGe BiCMOS technology. Adding the gain compensation circuit broadens gain dynamic range, and introducing the emitter degeneration capacitor broadens the bandwidth of a typical current-steering topology. Moreover, the digital control function is obtained from the digital-to-analog converter circuit. Also, the input and output matching circuits are designed for testing. The measurement results show that the designed VGA achieves a gain dynamic range of 31 dB stepped by 1 dB from 8 to 18 GHz. Furthermore, input and output return losses are both lower than − 10 dB, and output 1 dB compression point is − 19.6 dBm ~ − 17 dBm at the highest gain stage. The VGA’s DC power consumption is about 14 mA from a 3.3 V supply, and it occupies a chip area of just 0.56 mm2.

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Acknowledgements

This project was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant 61574111, in part by the Natural Science Basic Research Plan in Shanxi province of China under Grant 2019JM-316.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Microelectronics, Xidian University, Xi’an, 710071, Shanxi, China

    Zhenrong Li, Xiayu Cheng, Zeyuan Wang, Zhen Li & Yiqi Zhuang

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  1. Zhenrong Li
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  2. Xiayu Cheng
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  3. Zeyuan Wang
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  4. Zhen Li
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  5. Yiqi Zhuang
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Li, Z., Cheng, X., Wang, Z. et al. A Digital Controlled Accurate Linear-in-dB Variable Gain Amplifier Based on Current-Steering Structure with Compensation Circuit. Circuits Syst Signal Process 40, 529–542 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00034-020-01504-9

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