A 20 mA-receive 55 mA-transmit GSM transceiver in 0.25 /spl mu/m CMOS

In a typical GSM handset, the battery takes as much as 20% of the cost, as well as volume and weight. Power consumption, which dictates the required battery size, is one of the most important considerations in design of transceiver ICs. Typical current consumption of BJT transceiver ICs reported in previous ISSCCs is 50 mA for 900 MHz GSM. This CMOS transceiver consumes less than 20 mA in the receive mode, despite the lower g/sub m//I ratio inherent to MOS transistors. Although external components are used where performance is critical, elimination of unnecessary passives makes their count low by present commercial standards. The receiver architecture is a single-IF (71MHz) superheterodyne, with interstage filter between the LNA and mixer for image reject and blocking performance. RF filter insertion losses make it necessary to have a LNA NF no more than 2dB and mixer NF no more than 15dB, to maintain 9dB overall receiver NF.