Amplifier Analysis and Design Concepts

doi:10.1117/3.732502.ch11

Book: Digital and Analog Fiber Optic Communications for CATV and FTTx Applications

Author(s): Avigdor Brillant

Published: 2008

https://doi.org/10.1117/3.732502.ch11

Abstract

In the previous chapters, it was explained that the RF front end (RFFE) plays a major role in defining the receiver performance. It was demonstrated that the system carrier-to-noise ratio (CNR) performance is significantly dependent on the front-end input low-noise amplifier's (LNA's) NF. Furthermore, it was seen that there is an optimum matching for NF by an input matching transformer. It was demonstrated in Chapter 9 that the receiver's dynamic range is highly dependent on the RF chain line-up and the location of the automatic gain control (AGC) attenuator. (Further AGC analysis will be provided in Chapter 12.) Those factors affect the overall system performance and the link budget. Additionally, the topology of the video receiver defines its linearity and its distortion-free dynamic range. This section will focus on the design and tradeoffs of gain blocks and equalizers used as building blocks of a receiver. It will explain how to achieve good noise performances of gain and ripple. Gain block design is essential to achieving a receiver with high performance. Emphasis on noise analysis will be provided in Sec. 11.11 for various design cases and CMOS RF cases.