A 50-MHz 98-dB dynamic-range dB-linear programmable-gain amplifier with 2-dB gain steps for 3-V power supply

A programmable-gain amplifier (PGA) circuit introduced in this paper has a dynamic gain range of 98-dB with 2-dB gain steps and is controlled by 6-bit gain control bits for a 3-V power supply. It has been fabricated in a 0.5-/spl mu/m 15-GHz f/sub T/ Si BiCMOS process and draws a constant current of 13-mA, independent of the gain settings. The active die area taken up by the circuit is 400-/spl mu/m /spl times/1170-/spl mu/m. A noise figure (NF) of 5-dB was measured at the maximum gain setting.