Novel design technique for highly linear current mode amplifiers. Analysis, design, simulations

Abstract

We report on a novel approach for the linearization of current mode amplifiers. We present the design and tuning procedure outline and then illustrate it by the design of a transconductor amplifier. The amplifier is implemented in the IBM SiGe BiCMOS technology and it features second and third harmonic suppression of about 100 dB respectively at signal-to-bias ratio of 1 (simulation results). Although the procedure is demonstrated on a particular example, it is applicable to a wide class of current mode amplifiers.