A CMOS "Soft-Switched" transconductor and its application in gain control and filters

Clemens Mensink; Clemens H.J. Mensink; Bram Nauta; Hans Wallinga

doi:10.1109/4.597289

A CMOS "Soft-Switched" transconductor and its application in gain control and filters

Clemens Mensink, Clemens H.J. Mensink, Bram Nauta, Hans Wallinga

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

47 Citations (Scopus)

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Abstract

This paper presents a transconductor suitable for implementation in submicron CMOS technology. The transconductor is nearly insensitive for the second-order effects of the MOS transistors, which become more and more prevalent in today's submicron processes. The transconductor relies on a differential pair with variable degeneration resistance, while the degeneration resistors are “soft-switched” by means of MOS transistors. The transconductance is continuously tunable. A transconductor, using a device in which the degeneration resistors and “soft switches” are merged, is optimized for a maximum tuning range and can be used in variable gain stages like in an automatic gain control (AGC) circuit. Besides, a third-order 5.5 MHz low-pass filter has been realized in a 0.5-μm CMOS process using the “soft-switched” transconductor. At a 3.3 V supply voltage the filter dissipates 12 mW and the dynamic range equals 62 dB where the total harmonic distortion (THD) is -48 dB for an input voltage of 1 Vpp.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	989-997
Journal	IEEE journal of solid-state circuits
Volume	22
Issue number	7
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1109/4.597289
Publication status	Published - 1997

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Keywords

METIS-111605
IR-14438
circuit theory and design
continuous-time filters
transconductors
tuning
integrators
Amplifiers
CMOS devices
CMOS integrated circuits

Cite this

Mensink, C., Mensink, C. H. J., Nauta, B., & Wallinga, H. (1997). A CMOS "Soft-Switched" transconductor and its application in gain control and filters. IEEE journal of solid-state circuits, 22(7), 989-997. https://doi.org/10.1109/4.597289

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title = "A CMOS {"}Soft-Switched{"} transconductor and its application in gain control and filters",

abstract = "This paper presents a transconductor suitable for implementation in submicron CMOS technology. The transconductor is nearly insensitive for the second-order effects of the MOS transistors, which become more and more prevalent in today's submicron processes. The transconductor relies on a differential pair with variable degeneration resistance, while the degeneration resistors are “soft-switched” by means of MOS transistors. The transconductance is continuously tunable. A transconductor, using a device in which the degeneration resistors and “soft switches” are merged, is optimized for a maximum tuning range and can be used in variable gain stages like in an automatic gain control (AGC) circuit. Besides, a third-order 5.5 MHz low-pass filter has been realized in a 0.5-μm CMOS process using the “soft-switched” transconductor. At a 3.3 V supply voltage the filter dissipates 12 mW and the dynamic range equals 62 dB where the total harmonic distortion (THD) is -48 dB for an input voltage of 1 Vpp.",

keywords = "METIS-111605, IR-14438, circuit theory and design, continuous-time filters, transconductors, tuning, integrators, Amplifiers, CMOS devices, CMOS integrated circuits",

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T1 - A CMOS "Soft-Switched" transconductor and its application in gain control and filters

AU - Mensink, Clemens

AU - Mensink, Clemens H.J.

AU - Nauta, Bram

AU - Wallinga, Hans

PY - 1997

Y1 - 1997

N2 - This paper presents a transconductor suitable for implementation in submicron CMOS technology. The transconductor is nearly insensitive for the second-order effects of the MOS transistors, which become more and more prevalent in today's submicron processes. The transconductor relies on a differential pair with variable degeneration resistance, while the degeneration resistors are “soft-switched” by means of MOS transistors. The transconductance is continuously tunable. A transconductor, using a device in which the degeneration resistors and “soft switches” are merged, is optimized for a maximum tuning range and can be used in variable gain stages like in an automatic gain control (AGC) circuit. Besides, a third-order 5.5 MHz low-pass filter has been realized in a 0.5-μm CMOS process using the “soft-switched” transconductor. At a 3.3 V supply voltage the filter dissipates 12 mW and the dynamic range equals 62 dB where the total harmonic distortion (THD) is -48 dB for an input voltage of 1 Vpp.

AB - This paper presents a transconductor suitable for implementation in submicron CMOS technology. The transconductor is nearly insensitive for the second-order effects of the MOS transistors, which become more and more prevalent in today's submicron processes. The transconductor relies on a differential pair with variable degeneration resistance, while the degeneration resistors are “soft-switched” by means of MOS transistors. The transconductance is continuously tunable. A transconductor, using a device in which the degeneration resistors and “soft switches” are merged, is optimized for a maximum tuning range and can be used in variable gain stages like in an automatic gain control (AGC) circuit. Besides, a third-order 5.5 MHz low-pass filter has been realized in a 0.5-μm CMOS process using the “soft-switched” transconductor. At a 3.3 V supply voltage the filter dissipates 12 mW and the dynamic range equals 62 dB where the total harmonic distortion (THD) is -48 dB for an input voltage of 1 Vpp.

KW - METIS-111605

KW - IR-14438

KW - circuit theory and design

KW - continuous-time filters

KW - transconductors

KW - tuning

KW - integrators

KW - Amplifiers

KW - CMOS devices

KW - CMOS integrated circuits

U2 - 10.1109/4.597289

DO - 10.1109/4.597289

M3 - Article

VL - 22

SP - 989

EP - 997

JO - IEEE journal of solid-state circuits

JF - IEEE journal of solid-state circuits

SN - 0018-9200

IS - 7

ER -

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10.1109/4.597289

CMOS_soft-switched_transconductor-mensink
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