• Journal of the Institute of Electronics Engineers of Korea SD
• /
• v.40 no.9
• /
• pp.673-684
• /
• 2003

A degenerated differential pair has been widely used as a standard topology for digitally programmable CMOS VGAs. A variable degeneration resistor has been implemented using a resistor string or R-2R ladder with MOSFET switches. However, in the VGAs using these conventional methods, low-voltage and high-speed operation is very hard to achieve due to the dc voltage drop over the degeneration resistor. To overcome this problem a new variable degeneration resistor is proposed where the dc voltage drop is almost removed. Using the proposed gain control scheme, a low-voltage and high-speed CMOS VGA is designed. HSPICE simulation results using a 0.25${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$ CMOS process parameters show that the designed VGA provides a 3dB bandwidth of 360MHz and a 80dB gain control range in 2dB step. Gain errors are less than 0.4dB at 200MHz and less than l.4dB at 300MHz. The designed circuit consumes 10.8mA from a 2.5V supply and its die area is 1190${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$${\times}$360${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$.

• Journal of IKEEE
• /
• v.7 no.1 s.12
• /
• pp.43-55
• /
• 2003

A degenerated differential pair has been widely used as a standard topology for digitally programmable CMOS VGAs. A variable degeneration resistor has been implemented using a resistor string or R-2R ladder with MOSFET switches. However, in the VGAs using these conventional methods, low-voltage and high-speed operation is very hard to achieve due to the dc voltage drop over the degeneration resistor. To overcome the problem a new variable degeneration resistor is proposed where the dc voltage drop is almost removed. The proposed gain control scheme makes it easy to implement a low-voltage and high-speed VGA. This paper describes the problems existed in conventional methods, the principle and advantages of the proposed scheme, and their performance comparison in detail. A CMOS VGA cell is designed using the proposed degeneration resistor. The 3dB bandwidths are greater than 650㎒ and the gain errors are less than 0.3dB in a gain control range from -12dB to +12dB in 6dB steps. It consumes 3.1㎃ from a 2.5V supply voltage.