Novel AM/FM/ASK/FSK/PSK/QAM Signal Generator Based on a Digitally Programmable CDTA

In this paper, a novel 0.8V current differencing transconductance amplifier (CDTA) with programmable and tunable ability is proposed and analyzed. The digitally programmable CDTA is built around a lot of programmable current mirror arrays and three linear tunable transconductors, which contains separate analog and digital tuning feature. Moreover, a CDTA-based general sinusoidal signal generator circuit with two fixed-value capacitors and two grounded resistors is presented here. The generator circuit can be configured to perform the following signal modulation techniques: amplitude modulation, frequency modulation, amplitude shift keying, frequency shift keying, phase shift keying, and quadrature amplitude modulation. Cadence Virtuoso Analog Design Environment using GlobalFoundries' 0.18 um CMOS process is used to develop the generator circuit and verify the theory by the post-layout simulations.