Realization and Testing of a Prototype Low-Distortion Video Filter

This chapter’s introduction is brief since,literally, all the preceding chapters constitute an extended introduction to this chapter’s topic. That topic is the physical realization of an integrated video-frequency lowpass filter with linearity performance commensurate with 10-bit analog-to-digital converters. Seven integrator circuits of the design devepoped in Chapter 5 are assembled to implement the modified leapfrog filter topology presented in Chapter 3[1]. Herein,we bring the final pieces of the design together, clarifying the details of the architecture and choosing component values.We then verify the main performance aspects of the completed filter design using SPICE simulation. Briefly, we examine some of the more critical mask layout considerations thar contribute to a successful realization of the filter. Finally, the empirical results of our engineering effort are presented. Measured test results of the prototype IC filter verify the predictions of earlier simulations,showing excellent performance, and meeting the main goals set for the design. In the closing section, we outline ideas for improvements to the design and for further research.