Anti-blocker design techniques for MOSFET-C filters for direct conversion receivers

A linearized MOSFET-C low-pass filter suitable for a baseband channel selection filter for a direct conversion receiver is presented. Using polysilicon resistors instead of MOSFET resistors in the input and output part, the filter achieves very high out-of-band linearity but maintains the original transfer function under the control of a continuous on-chip cutoff tuning scheme. In order to enhance the linearity of the triode-mode MOSFET variable resistors, the gates of the MOSFETs are driven by a charge pump in the cutoff control loop. Also, an appropriate gain scaling is implemented to lower the input referred noise, thus making the out-of-band dynamic range wider. This fifth-order elliptic filter achieves -2 dBV in-band IIP3, +28 dBV out-of-band IIP3, +94 dBV out-of-band IIP2 and -87 dBV input-referred noise, and dissipates 6.2 mW from a 2.7-V supply; the on-chip continuous automatic tuning system dissipates 4.1 mW.