A high-performance low-power CMOS AGC for GPS application

Abstract

A wide tuning range, low power CMOS automatic gain control (AGC) with a simple architecture is proposed. The proposed AGC is composed of a variable gain amplifier (VGA), a comparator and a charge pump, and the dB-linear gain is controlled by the charge pump. The AGC was implemented in a 0.18 μm CMOS technology. The dynamic range of the VGA is more than 55 dB, the bandwidth is 30 MHz, and the gain error is lower than ±1.5 dB over the full temperature and gain ranges. It is designed for GPS application and is fed from a single 1.8 V power supply. The AGC power consumption is less than 5 mW, and the area of the AGC is 700 × 450 μm2.