An Ultra-low-power Integrated RF Receiver for Multi-standard Wireless Applications

Abstract

In this paper, an ultra-low-power integrated RF front end for multi-standard is proposed. It contains a current-reuse low-noise amplifier (LNA) and a single-balanced mixer. The double resonances network helps to achieve a good input impedance matching in the required band and suppress out-of-band noise. The stacked common source (CS) LNA is adopting current-reuse of the two amplifier stages and re-using bleeding current of the mixer, which save working current considerably. By employing forward body bias technique, the proposed circuit can operate at a reduced supply voltage. In addition, the local oscillator (LO) signal forward body bias technique improves the transistors’ switching characteristic, which optimizes noise figure (NF) and linearity performances simultaneously. Fabricated in the chartered 0.18-μm RF CMOS technology, the S11 of the front-end is below −14 dB in 935~960 MHz, below −11 dB in 1805~2483 MHz. It achieves a conversion gain of 18.6~20.8 dB, the double sideband (DSB) NF of 2.3~5.1 dB. The IIP3 are −8.2 dBm at 935 MHz and −9.8 dBm at 2100 MHz. It consumes 2.1 mA from a 1 V supply voltage and occupies an active area of only 0.61 × 0.53 mm².

Keywords:

• Complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor
• Current-reuse
• Forward body bias
• Low voltage
• Ultra-low-power

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Jie Jin

Jie Jin received the B.S. degree in electronics engineering from Shenzhen University, in 2007, and the M.S. degree in Information and Communication Engineering from Hunan University, Hunan, China, in 2010. He is now an teacher in Jishou University, Jishou, China. His research interests include current-mode circuit and RF circuit design. E-mail: [email protected]

Kui Fu

Kui Fu was born in MiLuo, China, in 1987. He received the B.S. degree from Xiang Tan University, Xiang Tan, China, and the M.S. degree in Information and Communication Engineering from Hunan University, Hunan, China, in 2012. He is now an teacher in Jishou University, Jishou, China. His research interests include RFIC design with focus on multi-standard receiver. E-mail: [email protected]