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A High Gain and Low Flicker Noise CMOS Mixer with Low Flicker Noise Corner Frequency Using Tunable Differential Active Inductor

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Abstract

This paper presents the design of a high conversion gain and low flicker noise down conversion CMOS double balanced Gilbert cell mixer using \(0.18\,\upmu \hbox {m}\) CMOS technology. The high conversion gain and low flicker noise mixer is implemented by using a differential active inductor (DAI) circuit and cross-coupled current injection technique within the conventional double-balanced Gilbert cell mixer. A cross-coupled current bleeding circuit is used to inject the current to the switching stage to decrease the flicker noise. Instead of spiral inductor, a DAI with high tunability of the inductor and quality factor is used to tune out the parasitic capacitance effect and decrease the leakage current that has a harmonic component and produce the flicker noise. By tuning the DAI, the flicker noise corner frequency is reduced to 150 Hz. The proposed circuit is simulated with Cadence Spectra and the simulation results shows the NF of 11.2 dB, conversion gain of 23.7 dB and IIP3 of \(-6\) dB for an RF frequency of 2.4 GHz. The excellent LO-RF, LO-IF, RF-LO and RF-IF isolations of \(-60, -110, -52\) and \(-64\) dB are achieved respectively. The total power consumption is 10.5 mW from a 1.8 V DC power supply.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Electrical Engineering, Urmia Branch, Islamic Azad University, Urmia, Iran

    Hojjat Babaei Kia

  2. Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University Technology Malaysia, Johor, Malaysia

    Abu Khari A’ain

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  1. Hojjat Babaei Kia
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  2. Abu Khari A’ain
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Correspondence to Hojjat Babaei Kia.

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Kia, H.B., A’ain, A.K. A High Gain and Low Flicker Noise CMOS Mixer with Low Flicker Noise Corner Frequency Using Tunable Differential Active Inductor. Wireless Pers Commun 79, 599–610 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11277-014-1875-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11277-014-1875-z

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