Active-RC filters using the Gm-assisted OTA-RC technique

The linearity of conventional active-RC filters is limited by the operational transconductance amplifiers (OTAs) used in the integrators. Transconductance-capacitance (Gm-C) filters are fast and can be linear- however, they are sensitive to parasitic capacitances. We explore the Gm-assisted OTA-RC technique, which is a way of combining Gm-C and active-RC integrators in a manner that enhances the linearity and speed of the latter, while adding negligible extra noise or power dissipation. Measurements from a fifth-order Chebyshev filter with 20 MHz bandwidth, designed in a 0.18 μm CMOS process, demonstrate the efficacy of Gm-assistance in an active-RC integrator. © 2011 IEEE.