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A broadband linear-in-decibel variable gain amplifier with low gain error

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Abstract

A new circuit architecture for broadband digitally controlled variable gain amplifier (VGA) is introduced in this paper. The gain of the VGA is controlled precisely by using a resistor ladder attenuator and a closed-loop fine gain control block together. The bandwidth of the VGA is extended by applying a compensation technique in the fine gain control block. Implemented in 0.13-μm CMOS technology, the proposed VGA demonstrates a decibel-linear gain range of 24 dB (0–24 dB) with a gain step of 0.1 dB, a gain error <0.08 dB, a maximum input-referred third-order intercept point (IIP3) of 22.8 dBm, and a 3-dB bandwidth of 600 MHz.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to acknowledge the sponsors from LSI Corporation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of ASIC and Systems in Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China

    Nan Lin, Fei Fang & Zhi-Liang Hong

  2. Telink Semiconductor CO, LTD, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China

    Fei Fang

  3. LSI Corporation, Mendota Heights, MN, USA

    Hao Fang

Authors
  1. Nan Lin
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  2. Fei Fang
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  3. Zhi-Liang Hong
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  4. Hao Fang
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Correspondence to Nan Lin.

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Lin, N., Fang, F., Hong, ZL. et al. A broadband linear-in-decibel variable gain amplifier with low gain error. Analog Integr Circ Sig Process 76, 73–80 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10470-013-0079-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10470-013-0079-x

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