A Single-Chip Quad-Band GSM/GPRS Transceiver in 0.18μm Standard CMOS

CMOS RF has evolved from a novelty to a necessity with the mergence of all analog and digital functionality into a single chip for standards such as Bluetooth and WLAN/802.11. The stringent performance requirements associated with cellular standards such as GSM, however, has either limited the level of RF transceiver integration, or compelled the use of alternative technologies such as BiCMOS or bipolar [1]. In this paper, a fully integrated quad-band GSM/GPRS transceiver, fabricated in a 0.18μm CMOS process, is described. This device integrates all the RF and analog transceiver functionality in a single-silicon substrate while meeting the performance requirements of the GSM standard. The challenges of CMOS technology are overcome by careful architectural decisions, appropriate circuit-design techniques, and self-calibrated analog circuits. Wherever possible, the availability of high-density CMOS logic is exploited by pushing the design complexity into the digital domain.