900 MHz CDMA/1.8 GHz PCS/450 MHz CDMA RF receiver ICs with a new mixer linearization method and optimization of integrated inductor for single balance mixer LO buffer

900 MHz CDMA, 1.8 GHz PCS, and 450 MHz CDMA RF receivers are implemented and measured. In order to reduce NRE cost and meet the demand of fast time-to-market, a metal-mask configurable method is applied for those receivers using only upper metals, contact and via layers. Also to reduce power consumption, a new mixer linearization method is proposed, along with an optimization methodology of an integrated inductor for a single balance mixer LO buffer, with respect to power consumption and silicon area. In order to apply the proposed inductor optimization methodology into metal-mask configurable circuits, inductor design considerations for metal-mask variant circuits are presented. With the proposed linearization technique and inductor optimization method, low power 900 MHz CDMA/1.8 GHz PCS/450 MHz CDMA mixers are obtained. The proposed receivers are fabricated in a 0.35 μm SiGe BiCMOS process. In the 900 MHz CDMA case, measurement results of the proposed mixer show 12 dBm IIP3 and 10.2 dB conversion gain, and 7.5 dB SSB NF with 10.5 mA current consumption at 2.7 V supply voltage.