Charge-domain FIR sampler with programmable filtering coefficients

A charge-domain sampling technique for realization of mixed-mode finite-impulse response (FIR) filters is presented. The method is based on weighting signal current samples integrated into a sampling capacitor with a set of parallel digitally controlled current-mode switches each carrying a unit current element. The fine achievable resolution and digital controllability of the filter tap coefficients allows realization of advanced programmable FIR filtering functions embedded into high-frequency signal sampling. Circuit-level simulation results of an example 50-MHz IF-sampler with a built-in 22-tap complex bandpass sinc³ FIR function in 0.35-μm CMOS are shown, demonstrating the feasibility of the presented method.