906 IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON CIRCUITS AND SYSTEMS—II: EXPRESS BRIEFS, VOL. 58, NO.

12, DECEMBER 2011

A Method for Noise Reduction in

Active-RC Circuits
Kiarash Gharibdoust and Mehrdad Sharif Bakhtiar, Member, IEEE

Abstract—A method for noise reduction in active-RC circuits

is introduced. It is shown that the output noise in an active-RC
circuit can be considerably reduced, without disturbing the cir-
cuit transfer function by inserting appropriate passive or active
components in the circuit. The inserted components introduce new
signal paths in the circuit for noise reduction while the original
circuit transfer function is kept unchanged. The procedure to
define the proper paths in the circuit and their transfer functions is
given. The effectiveness of the presented method is demonstrated
using a second-order active-RC filter fabricated in a 0.18-µm
CMOS technology.
Fig. 1. (a) General active-RC network. (b) Equivalent circuit of (a).
Index Terms—Active-RC filter, CMOS technology, feedfor-
ward path, filter noise, noise reduction.
width by means of a frequency-dependent negative resistance
circuit. However, no general method is proposed. The noise
I. I NTRODUCTION analysis of the state-space active networks is discussed in [9].
In this brief, output noise relation for a general topology of
A CTIVE-RC filters have always been among the most used
circuit modules in a great variety of applications. This
may be the reason for the rich source of knowledge that is avail-
a state-space active-RC biquad and the noise performance of
Tow–Thomas and state-space active-RC biquads are compared.
In [10], a model for calculating resistive noise and opamp noise
able in the area of active-RC filter design and application. In
in active-RC filters is given, and general relation to estimate the
recent years, new applications for active-RC filters such as the
bounds for signal-to-resistive noise ratio and signal-to-opamp
baseband circuits in wireless receivers [1]–[4] have emerged.
noise ratio in the state-space filters is presented. An elegant
These new applications, however, demand specifications such
and elaborate technique to model and optimize the noise and
as high linearity, low noise, and low-voltage performance,
linearity of Gm-C circuits for modern applications is given in
which have not been of serious concern previously. This is why
[11]. All of these works, however, are based on the optimization
that little can be found regarding these new requirements in the
of a given topology and do not present any method to modify a
vast and rich knowledge source that have been developed for
topology for a better performance.
active-RC filters.
In this brief, a method for output noise reduction in active-
The majority of the works that address the noise performance
RC filters is introduced, which is applicable to all linear active-
of active-RC circuits are based on the optimization techniques
RC circuits. In this method, the output noise due to the active
to optimize the output noise of a given circuit. For example,
elements is considerably reduced by applying appropriate com-
in [5], a general single-amplifier biquad is modeled, and joint
pensating paths (sometimes feedforward paths) without disturb-
optimization criteria for sensitivity and noise performance are
ing other specifications of the filter. These paths can sometimes
discussed. In [6], a model for calculating output noise in active-
be realized with the aid of only passive components to avoid
RC filters is proposed, and the model is verified by circuit
power consumption. This brief continues with the introduction
measurements. It also recommends the application of optimiza-
of a general method in Section II. Section III presents a real-
tion techniques to reduce the output noise. Matrix description
world example to show the practicality and the efficiency of the
of general active-RC circuits is discussed in [7] where RC
method, and conclusion is given in Section IV.
optimization for reducing output noise in leap-frog active-RC
filters is used. In [8], a biquad section is discussed in which
the output noise is shaped and reduced in the desired band- II. G ENERAL M ODEL
Let us consider a general active-RC network, as shown in
Fig. 1(a), in which one of its amplifiers or active elements
Manuscript received April 30, 2011; revised July 10, 2011 and August 28, A1 , connected between two arbitrary circuit nodes x and y,
2011; accepted September 14, 2011. Date of publication November 28, 2011;
date of current version December 14, 2011. This paper was recommended by
is externally shown. Fig. 1(b) shows the general active-RC
Associate Editor N. Neihart. network with A1 replaced with an equivalent dependent source
The authors are with Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran (e-mail: with a gain of A1 . For the network in Fig. 1(b), circuit transfer
gharibdoust@ee.sharif.edu; msharif@sharif.edu). function Vout /Vin can be derived as
Color versions of one or more of the figures in this paper are available online
at http://ieeexplore.ieee.org.
Digital Object Identifier 10.1109/TCSII.2011.2172521 Vout = Tout,in × Vin + Tout,y × Vy (1)

1549-7747/$26.00 © 2011 IEEE

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 GHARIBDOUST AND BAKHTIAR: METHOD FOR NOISE REDUCTION IN ACTIVE-RC CIRCUITS 907

Fig. 2. Circuit with the equivalent input noise source of A1 .

where Vout and Vin are the voltages at the output and input
nodes, respectively, and Vy , being a function of Vin , is the
voltage at node y.
Tout,in in (1) is defined as Vout /Vin when Vy = 0,
that is, Tout,in = (Vout /Vin )|Vy =0 and, similarly, Tout,y =
(Vout /Vy )|Vin =0 .
Replacing Vy in (1) with Vy = A1 × Vx , we have
Vout = Tout,in × Vin + Tout,y × A1 Vx
where Vx can be written as
Vx = Tx,in × Vin + Tx,y × Vy
in which Tx,in = (Vx/Vin )|Vy =0 and Tx,y = (Vx/Vy )|Vin =0 . From
(2) and (3), the circuit transfer function can be derived as
Vout Tout,in − A1 (Tout,in Tx,y − Tx,in Tout,y )
= .
Vin 1 − A1 Tx,y
The amplifier or the active element A1 contributes to the
total circuit noise at the output. Fig. 2 shows the circuit with
the equivalent input noise source of A1 (i.e., Vn1 ). By taking
Vin = 0 and rewriting (1)–(4), the output noise due to Vn1 (i.e.,
Vout,n ) can be found as
2 A21 |Tout,y |2 2
Vout,n = V .
|1 − A1 Tx,y |2 n1
For a low-noise circuit, output noise Vout,n must be as small
as possible. Our goal is to reduce this noise without altering
the network transfer function. This is done by inserting a new
amplifier or active element Af in the network between nodes
p and j of the circuit, as shown in Fig. 3(a). We assume that
the output of this active element can be modeled by a voltage
source and its transfer function Af can be a desired function
of frequency given by Af (s). Node p or the input node of the
inserted amplifier may be any node of the circuit. Node j is any
node in the circuit with zero voltage, that is, node j must be
a ground or virtual ground node prior to inserting Af into the
circuit. Nodes p and j and Af must be selected such that the
circuit transfer function remains unchanged but the total noise
at the output, due to both A1 and Af , is reduced. To derive
the transfer function of the circuit with the added amplifier,
as shown in Fig. 3(b), the added amplifier is modeled by a
dependent source at node j with a gain of Af . The output
voltage of the circuit in Fig. 3(b), due to its input voltage source
Vin , can be written as
Vout = Vin Tout,in + Vx A1 Tout,y + Af Vp Tout,j
where Tout,in = (Vout /Vin )|Vy =Vj =0 , Tout,y = (Vout /
Vy )|Vin =Vj =0 , and Tout,j = (Vout /Vj )|Vin =Vy =0 . From
Fig. 3. (a) General active-RC circuit with new inserted amplifier Af .
(b) Equivalent circuit of (a).
Fig. 3(b), for voltages Vx and Vp , we can write
Vx = Vin Tx,in + Af Vp Tx,j + A1 Vx Tx,y (7)
where Tx,in = (Vx /Vin )|Vy =Vj =0 , Tx,j = (Vx /Vj )|Vin =Vy =0 ,
and Tx,y = (Vx /Vy )|Vin =Vj =0 and also
(2)
Vp = Vin Tp,in + Af Vp Tp,j + A1 Vx Tp,y (8)
where Tp,in = (Vp /Vin )|Vy =Vj =0 , Tp,j = (Vp /Vj )|Vin =Vy =0 ,
(3) and Tp,y = (Vp /Vy )|Vin =Vj =0 .
By solving (7) and (8), Vx and Vp can be written as
Tx,in + Af (Tx,j Tp,in − Tx,in Tp,j )
Vx = Vin (9)
Δ
Tp,in + A1 (Tx,in Tp,y − Tx,y Tp,in )
(4) Vp = Vin (10)
Δ
with
Δ = 1 − A1 Tx,y − Af Tp,j − A1 Af (Tx,j Tp,y − Tx,y Tp,j ).
(11)
Equations (6), (9), and (10) give the circuit transfer function
when new amplifier Af is inserted in the circuit. We want this
transfer function to be the same as the original transfer function
(5)
given in (4). Two trivial cases can be directly recognized, in
both of which the circuit transfer function is preserved.
The first case is when node p is a ground node, i.e., Vp = 0.
This can be easily proven by rewriting (9) and (10) with Tp,j =
Tp,in = Tp,y = 0 and applying the result to (6). This means that
the inserted path is from a ground node to the ground node that
obviously has no effect on the circuit but without any practical
use. A second but practical case is when
Vp = kVx (12)
where k is a constant coefficient. This can be proven by
applying Tp,in = kTx,in , Tp,j = kTx,j , and Tp,y = kTx,y to (6)
and (9)–(11) and finding the circuit transfer function as
Vout 
= Tout,in − Tout,in (A1 Tx,y + kAf Tx,j )
Vin 
+ Tx,in (A1 Tout,y + kAf Tout,j ) /(1 − A1 Tx,y − kAf Tx,j ).
(13)
It can be then shown that the transfer function given in (13),
corresponding to the circuit in Fig. 3(b), can be made equal to
(6) that of the original transfer function given in (4) if
A1 Tx,y  kAf Tx,j (14)
A1 Tout,y  kAf Tout,j (15)

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 908 IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON CIRCUITS AND SYSTEMS—II: EXPRESS BRIEFS, VOL. 58, NO. 12, DECEMBER 2011

To keep the transfer function unchanged, we apply the condition

in (12) (i.e., Vp = kVx ) to (23), then we have
  2
 Af 
Vout,n = ψ 2 
2 Tout,j − Af Q(x)
A1

2 A2 V 2
+ |Tout,y + kAf Q(x)| × 1 2n1 (24)
Fig. 4. Equivalent circuit of Fig. 3(a) for noise estimation. Δ
at all frequencies of interest. Note that Tout,in and Tout,y in (4) and Δ = 1 − A1 Tx,y − kAf Tx,j . In general, Af may be a
and (13) are defined for similar conditions and are the same. complex function of frequency that is Af (ω) = Re[Af (ω)] +
This is because node j in the original circuit is either ground or jIm[Af (ω)]. The output noise will then be minimized if
virtual ground (i.e., Vj = 0) and also the two transfer functions,
i.e., Tout,in and Tout,y , in (13) have been defined for Vj = 0. 2
∂Vout,n 2
∂Vout,n
Conditions (14) and (15) can be satisfied by taking A1 large =0 =0
∂Re(Af ) ∂Im(Af )
enough in comparison to Af . By applying (14) and rewriting
(13) as from which, assuming A1  1, we find Af for the minimum
Vout  output noise as
= Tout,in − A1 (Tout,in Tx,y − Tout,y Tx,in ) −kTout,y
Vin  Af ∼
= . (25)
Q(x)(ψ 2 + k 2 )
− kAf (Tout,in Tx,j − Tx,in Tout,j ) /(1 − A1 Tx,y ) (16)
The minimum output noise for the optimum value of Af given
we conclude that, for (16) to be the same as the original transfer in (25) can be calculated as
function, we must have  
2 2 A21 |Tout,y |2 ψ2
Vout,n = Vn1 (26)
Tout,in Tx,j − Tx,in Tout,j = 0. (17) |1 − A1 Tx,y |2 ψ 2 + k 2
In a special and interesting case, condition (17) can be satisfied where the output noise is reduced by a factor of [ψ 2 /(ψ 2 + k 2 )]
if the circuit has symmetry to nodes in and j. Equation (12) compared with that of the original circuit. Note that the output
provides a guideline for adding new signal paths to the original noise given in (26) can be considerably reduced if Af is a low-
network without altering the network transfer function. Our 2
noise active or passive circuit. That is, Vout,n → 0 when ψ → 0.
goal is to use the added path to reduce the output noise due The design equations and conditions for application of the
to active element A1 having in mind that the noise of the proposed noise cancellation method can be simplified if the
added path also contributes to the output noise. To derive the output node is taken at the output of A1 or if nodes x and
output noise, the active elements in Fig. 3(a) are replaced with p are the same. Table I summarizes the design equations and
dependent voltage sources at the output, including the effect of conditions for different possible cases. In this table, noise
input noises Vn1 and Vnf , as shown in Fig. 4. That is improvement factor (NIF) is defined as the ratio of the output
2
noise due to A1 (i.e., Vout,n ) before insertion of the noise
Vy = (Vx + Vn1 ) × A1 (18)
reduction path to that of the modified circuit.
Vj = (Vp + Vnf ) × Af . (19)
The output noise voltage of the circuit Vout,n , with the III. D ESIGN E XAMPLES
inserted amplifier in it, can be then written as
Fig. 5 shows a single-ended Ackerberg–Mossberg active-RC
Vout,n = A1 (Vx + vn1 )Tout,y + Af (Vp + Vnf )Tout,j (20) bandpass filter fabricated in 0.18-μm CMOS technology with
a center frequency of 2.5 MHz and a Q of 20. The single-
where Vx and Vp are ended configuration has been chosen for the sake of simplicity
and also for saving the die area. The circuit can be directly
Vx = A1 (Vx + Vn1 )Tx,y + Af (Vp + Vnf )Tx,j (21)
converted to a differential configuration with no limitation. The
Vp = A1 (Vx + Vn1 )Tp,y + Af (Vp + Vnf )Tp,j . (22)
measured output noise of the filter at the center frequency is
Finding Vx and Vp from (21) and (22) and replacing them in 1.34 μVrms, and the integrated noise in 2 BW is 524 μVrms,
(20), the output noise can be derived as where about 70% of which is contributed by the first opamp
  2 (OP1 ). A noise cancellation path, including Af , is inserted in

2  Af
 the circuit to cancel the effect of the noise of OP1 at the output.
2
Vout,n = ψ  Tout,j − Af Q(x)
A1 We expect that insertion of Af does not change the transfer
 function since both nodes are either ground or virtual ground
2 A2 V 2 and are at 0 V before and after insertion of Af . Since nodes p
+ |Tout,y + Af Q(p)| × 1 2n1 (23)
Δ and x are the same, (12) is satisfied with k = 1. To calculate Af
from (25), the functions Tout,y and Q(x) are calculated as
where Δ = (1−A1 Tx,y )(1−Af Tp,j )−A1 Af Tx,j Tp,y , func-
tion Q is defined as Q(η) = Tout,j Tη,y − Tout,y Tη,j , and ψ 2 = Tout,y = 1
2 /V 2 . A in (23) must be defined for a minimum output
Vnf −2 −2
n1 f Q(x) = = .
noise without disturbing the original circuit transfer function. 1/Q + R2 /R1 + 1 + s/ω0 6.05 + s/ω0

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 GHARIBDOUST AND BAKHTIAR: METHOD FOR NOISE REDUCTION IN ACTIVE-RC CIRCUITS 909

TABLE I
D ESIGN S UMMARY FOR VARIOUS C IRCUIT C ONFIGURATIONS

Fig. 5. (a) Ackerberg–Mossberg active-RC bandpass filter. (b) Bandpass

filter with the noise cancellation path.
Then, from (25), Af can be calculated as
−Tout,y 6.05 + s/ω0
Af = =
(1 + ψ 2 )Q(x) 2(1 + ψ 2 )

where ω0 is the center frequency of the filter. Implementation

of Af would be simplified if Af is only estimated at center
frequency ω0 . Assuming that ψ is small enough, Af is cal-
culated to be Af = 3.025 + j0.5. The simple circuit shown
in Fig. 6 can be used to realize Af . This circuit utilizes an
RC network (C1 and R2 ) to implement the imaginary part of
Af , i.e., Im(Af ). However, since Im(Af ) is small, what would Fig. 6. Schematic of inserted amplifier Af .
be gained by adding the large 50 pF capacitor to the circuit
is not considerable. In fact, simulations show that inclusion
of R2 and C1 in the circuit to realize Im(Af ) results in an
improvement of about 0.5 dB in the output noise at the center
frequency. Therefore, we only implemented the real part of Af
with a simple amplifier inserted in the filter circuit, as shown
in Fig. 5(b). Measurements prove that the filter characteristic
remains intact (see Fig. 7) while the output noise at the center
frequency is reduced by about 4 dB. The simulation shows
that, for the same noise performance achieved by inserting
the simple amplifier of Fig. 6, the power consumption of OP1
has to be raised to 12.5 mW (from the original 5 mW). This
is compared to the 3 mW power consumed by the inserted Fig. 7. Measured filter transfer function before and after inserting Af .
circuit. Interesting enough, a simple short circuit from node x
to node j also reduces the output noise by about 2.4 dB without Linearity also improves due to the noise reduction path.
affecting the original transfer function. This improvement can Measurements showed a 3 dB reduction in both the second
be predicted by calculating functions Tout,y , Q(x), and Af and and third-order harmonic distortions of the modified circuit.1
setting Af = 1 in (23). The measured output noise and the input However, it is to be noted that, due to high open-loop gain of the
referred noise of these configurations are shown in Fig. 8. The
comparison of the original circuit and the modified circuits is 1 Second-order harmonic distortion would be considerably reduced when the
summarized in Table II. differential structure is used.

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 910 IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON CIRCUITS AND SYSTEMS—II: EXPRESS BRIEFS, VOL. 58, NO. 12, DECEMBER 2011

Fig. 10. Chip microphotograph (0.25 × 0.5 mm2 ).

Fig. 8. Measured output noise and input referred noise of the original and the
modified circuits.
TABLE II
C OMPARISON OF THE O RIGINAL C IRCUIT AND THE M ODIFIED C IRCUITS
IV. C ONCLUSION
It has been shown that the output noise of linear active-
RC circuits can be considerably reduced without changing the
circuit transfer function. This was done by inserting one or
more noise reduction paths in the circuit. These paths can be
chosen such that the circuit transfer function remains intact. The
noise reduction paths may be active or may be approximated by
passive circuits when power is scarce. It has been also shown
that properly applied short circuits can also reduce the output
noise without any change in the circuit transfer function or any
other overhead.

Fig. 9. Schematic of the opamp.
TABLE III
FABRICATED O PAMP PARAMETERS
[10] G. Efthivoulidis, L. Toth, and Y. Tsividis, “Further results for noise in
opamps and the large loop gain in the circuit, the original circuit
is highly linear and the improvement is not significant. Fig. 9
[11] Y. Palaskas and Y. Tsividis, “Dynamic range optimization of weakly non-
shows the opamp’s class AB circuit with the specifications
given in Table III. The die microphotograph of the fabricated
chip is also given in Fig. 10.
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