doi:10.1016/j.microrel.2011.02.001engAznar, F.Celma, S.Calvo, B.A 0.18 µm CMOS linear-in-dB AGC post-amplifier for optical communicationsART-2011-73010This paper presents a fully integrated 10GBase-LX4 Ethernet receiver front-end automatic gain control amplifier realized in a 0.18 μm CMOS process. Based on a very compact and reliable inductorless design, the proposed differential post-amplifier, comprises three main digitally programmable gain stages, a DC offset cancellation network and an automatic gain feedback control loop. Experimental results demonstrate a −3 dB cut-off frequency above 2.3 GHz over a −3 to 33 dB linear-in-dB controlled gain range with a sensitivity of 2.0 mVp–p with a BER of 10−12 at 2.5 Gb/s. For the aforementioned standard, 3.125 Gb/s, an input dynamic range above 50 dB is achieved, from 2.5 mVp–p to 800 mVp–p, indicating a BER of 10−12. The chip core area is 0.3 × 0.3 mm2 and it consumes 58 mW with a single supply voltage of 1.8 V2011http://zaguan.unizar.es/record/14898010.1016/j.microrel.2011.02.001http://zaguan.unizar.es/record/148980oai:zaguan.unizar.es:148980info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/MICINN-FEDER/TEC2008-05455/TECMICROELECTRONICS RELIABILITY 51, 5 (2011), 959-964All rights reservedhttp://www.europeana.eu/rights/rr-f/info:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccess