Ultra-low-voltage CMOS-based current bleeding mixer with high LO-RF isolation.

Area of Science:

• Integrated Circuits
• Wireless Communication

Background:

• Current bleeding mixers are essential for low-voltage applications.
• Achieving high LO-RF isolation is critical for receiver performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present an ultra-low-voltage current bleeding mixer with high LO-RF isolation.
• To optimize mixer performance for ZigBee applications using standard CMOS technology.

Main Methods:

• Implemented a modified current bleeding topology using NMOS and PMOS transistors.
• Integrated inductors to facilitate low-voltage operation and high isolation.
• Fabricated the mixer on a 0.13 μm standard CMOS process.

Main Results:

• Achieved a conversion gain of 7.5 dB at 2.4 GHz.
• Measured a high LO-RF isolation of 60 dB.
• Demonstrated ultra-low power consumption (572 μW) at 0.45 V supply voltage.

Conclusions:

• The proposed mixer effectively achieves ultra-low voltage operation and high LO-RF isolation.
• The design is suitable for power-constrained ZigBee applications.
• The modified current bleeding topology offers a viable solution for high-performance mixers.