An Integrated IF Amplifier and Detector for an A.M. Upconversion Radio
This paper presents a monolithically integrated IF amplifier and envelope detector for an AM upconversion car-radio receiver. This receiver is intended for the reception of the long-wave and medium-wave frequency bands and uses an intermediate frequency of 10.7 MHz. Specific requirements resulting from the upconversion concept will be illustrated and the basic considerations for maximization of the signal-to-noise ratio as a function of the input signal level will be given. Furthermore, a new method will be presented for fixing the signal levels and the AGC speed in the amplifier. The amplifier uses two emitter-driven variable-gain pairs alternated by negative-feedback current amplifiers. It has an AGC range of 90 dB and a gain of 66 dB. The audio output level is constant within 0.2 dB over the full controll range. A cross-quad compensated envelope detector is driven at a level as low as 30 mV and shows less than 3-percent distortion at a modulation depth of 80 percent.
A High-Dynamic-Range Front End for an Upconversion Car-Radio Receiver
A monolithically integrated high-performance front end for an AM radio receiver is presented. Medium- and long-wave reception without any tuned-circuit alignments or band switches is made possible by using an intermediate frequency of 10.7 MHz, well above the maximum frequency to be received. Image- and oscillator-harmonics-related spurious responses are rejected by a simple low-pass filter. The upconversion concept puts high demands on the front-end circuits. A high intermodulation free dynamic range is realized by applying several unconventional and new circuit techniques. A low-noise low-distortion wide-band input amplifier with capacitive negative feedback realizes the required antenna match. The gain of this amplifier is automatically switched to a lower value in the vicinity of transmitters with high field strengths. A double-balanced mixer, driven by an oscillator employing a novel amplitude stabilization technique, provides the frequency conversion up to 10.7 MHz. Digital toning can be achieved very simply because only the local-oscillator frequency has to be varied. The dynamic range of this front end amounts to 130 dB. Field strengths up to about 20 and 200 mV/m can be handled without noticeable second- and third-order intermodulation, respectively.
A New Design Approach for Feedback Amplifiers
A new design procedure is presented which is based on the root-locus technique. The realization of the following is possible: a) desired closed-loop response bandwidth (or rise time) and gain level (or amount of desensitivity); b) desired response shapes such as flat magnitude or flat delay; and c) desensitivity of both low-frequency and bandedge responses. The key feature of the root-locus technique is the proper use and location of phantom zeros (transmission zeros of the feedback path). To illustrate the technique, a shunt-shunt feedback configuration is used together with the realization of flat-magnitude-type closed-loop responses. The basic amplifier is a three-stage c-e transistor cascade. Typical design examples with experimental results are included.