RF IC Design

Homework #1 (Due on Sept. 25)

Note: please organize and present your solutions clearly.
(Total: 30 points)

1. (10 points)
!"#
The collector current of a BJT transistor is expressed as 𝐼! (𝑉"# ) = 𝐼$ 𝑒 !$ , where
𝑉"# is the voltage across base-emitter junction. If an input signal of 𝑣$ is driven to
!"#% &'(
the device, biased at 𝑉"#% , the total collector current becomes 𝑖! = 𝐼$ 𝑒 !$ .
Expand the equation into a power series 𝑖! = 𝑎% + 𝑎& 𝑣$ + 𝑎' 𝑣$' + 𝑎( 𝑣$( , and find out
the expression for the input voltage of 1-dB gain compression point.

2. (10 points)
(a) (5 points) The level of IIP3 can be determined by using the output frequency
spectrum (in dBm) of a two-tone test with equal amplitudes as shown in the following
figure, where the two signals locate at the frequencies of w1 and w2 and the third-order
intermodulation distortion (IMD3) at 2w1-w2 and 2w2-w1. The level difference is D (dB)
between the two-tone outputs and the intermodulation distortion. Derive the expression
of IIP3 from the spectrum, given that the power levels at the input and output are Pin
(dBm) and Pout (dBm), respectively. (Hint: See Chap. 2 in Razavi’s book.)

(b) (5 points) Let the third-order input intercept point (IIP3) and gain of a circuit be -10
dBm and 12 dB, respectively. Determine the maximum allowed (two-tone) input signal
level such that the signal to the intermodulation distortion power ratio is at least 50 dB
at the output.

D (dB)

2w1 - w2 w1 w2 2w2 - w1

3. (10 points)
Negative feedback can improve linearity. Assume the transfer function of the forward
gain is characterized as 𝑦 = 𝑎& 𝑥 + 𝑎' 𝑥 ' + 𝑎( 𝑥 ( . After adding the feedback network
of 𝛽 , the transfer function becomes 𝑦 = 𝑎&) 𝑥 + 𝑎') 𝑥 ' + 𝑎() 𝑥 ( , where the new
coefficients are expressed in terms of 𝑎&,',( and 𝛽. Determine the third-order input-
referred intercept point (IIP3) of the feedback system.