Implementation Issues for High-Bandwidth Field-Programmable Analog Arrays

This paper is a tutorial introduction to field-programmable analog arrays, as well as a review of existing field-programmable analog array architectures, of both educational and industrial origin. Circuit issues relevant to the development of high-bandwidth FPAAs are presented. A current conveyor-based architecture, which promises to achieve video bandwidths, is described. Test results are presented for the CMOS current conveyor-based FPAA building block, with programmable transconductors and capacitors. Measurements indicate bandwidths in excess of 10MHz, and functionality of amplifiers, integrators, differentiators, and adders. The die area is 1.5mm x 3.5mm in a 0.8μm CMOS technology.