IIP2 requirements in 4G LTE handset receivers

SAW-less receivers have become the state-of-the-art architecture in multiband receivers. These receivers eliminate the SAW filter between the low-noise amplifier (LNA) and the direct-conversion mixer. Large TX leakage signals hit the mixer in full-duplex receivers which imposes challenging mixer linearity requirements. Second order intercept point (IIP₂) was intensively studied in 3G receivers. In this paper, we derive the IIP₂ specification for LTE receivers and report the simulated and measured correction factors needed to estimate the modulated carrier 2^nd order distortion using the conventional 2-tone carrier test.