A 4th-order programmable continuous-time filter (CTF) for hard-disk-drive (HDD) read channels was developed with 65-nm CMOS process technology. The CTF cutoff frequency and boost are programmable by switching units of the operational trans-conductance amplifier (OTA) banks and the capacitor banks. The switches are operated by lifted local-supply voltage to reduce on-resistance of the transistors. The CTF characteristics were robust against process technology variations and supply voltage and temperature ranges due to the introduction of a digitally assisted compensation scheme with analog auto-tuning circuits and digital calibration sequences. The digital calibration sequences, which fit into the operation sequence of the HDD read channel, compensate for the tuning circuits of the process technology variations, and the tuning circuits compensate for the CTF characteristics over the supply voltage and temperature ranges. As a result, the CTF had a programmability of 100–1000-MHz cutoff frequency and 0–12-dB boost.

A filter configuration that allows configuration of any transfer function used the state variable is discribed as an application of the second generation current conveyors (CCIIs) to RC networks. The filter types discussed are low-pass filter (LPF), high-pass filter (HPF), band-pass filter (BPF), all-pass filter (APF), and band-elimination filter (BEF). The filter circuit consists of four CCIIs and allows tandem connections. The device sensitivity and CCII's sensitivity to transfer coefficient are relatively low. The filter circuit that allow simultaneous configuration wewe fabricated. An experimental result at around 10kHz was obtained for the filters. In the case, the LPF, HPF, BPF, APF, and BEF characteristics are obtained at Q value of 5.0.