Active Tunable Bandpass Filter with Voltage Gain Control in SiGe BiCMOS 130 nm

Abstract

The paper describes an active tunable bandpass filter with voltage gain control designed to be used as an IP block or as a full functional device. The filter is developed in the standard process of 130 nm silicon-germanium (SiGe) BiCMOS. The schematic and layout of the filter have been developed, the experimental prototype has been sent into production. Its area does not exceed 0.96 mm2, the area of filters core is not more than 0.23 mm2. Modeling of the schematic and the layout of the active tunable bandpass filter with voltage gain control is performed in Cadence software. As a result of modeling, the following characteristics of the developed filter has been measured: the consumption current is less than 51 mA; voltage gain is adjusting from 0 to 21.5 dB; the lower cut-off frequency of 97.8 MHz ± 2.2 MHz; the upper cut-off frequency is tuning from 0.5 GHz to 3.0 GHz; the input voltage standing wave ratio in bandwidth is not more than 1.597; the output voltage standing wave ratio in bandwidth does not exceed 1.941; the noise figure of the IP block in bandwidth is less than 9.9 dB; noise figure of the experimental prototype in bandwidth is not more than 15.4 dB. It has been found that the filter ensures safe these characteristics in the operation temperature range from -60 °C to + 100 °C. This is fully consistent with the technical requirements. Wide ranges of bandwidth tuning, voltage gain controlling, operating temperatures, small area and current consumption gives the opportunity to use the filter in any electronic systems.