Innovative strategy for mixer design optimization based on gm/ID methodology

This work introduces a process to optimize the design of a down-conversion mixer using an innovative strategy based on the g_m/I_D methodology. The proposed process relies on a set of technology-oriented lookup tables to optimize the trade-off between gain, power dissipation, noise, and distortion. The design is implemented using a 0.13 µm CMOS technology, and to the best of our knowledge, it possesses the best (post-layout simulation) figure of merit (FOM) among the works presented in literature. The FOM is defined as the product of gain and third-order intercept divided the product between average noise figure and power dissipation. Finally, the core of the mixer takes only 31 µm by 28 µm and it draws a current of 1 mA from the 1.5 V DC supply.