BiCMOS variable-gain transconductance amplifier
US6724235B2 · kind B2 · utility
32Cited by
3References
15Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 23, 2002 |
| Grant date | Apr 20, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 23, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH03F2203/45702
- WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A variable-gain BiCMOS transconductance amplifier (VGA). An NMOS differential pair amplifier with bipolar cascoding provides continuous gain control by adjustment of drain-source voltage to shift the NMOS differential pair from a saturation region operation and high gain to a triode operation and low gain. A simple control circuit is used in order to generate the desired exponential gain to linear control voltage characteristic that is stable over temperature and process. The shift from saturation to triode operation of the input NMOS differential pair simultaneously increases the input linearity as the gain is reduced.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.