A 1.0-8.3 GHz Cochlea-Based Real-Time Spectrum Analyzer With Δ-Σ-Modulated Digital Outputs

The biological inner ear, or cochlea, is a sophisticated signal processing system that performs spectrum analysis over an ultra-broadband frequency range of ~20 Hz to 20 kHz with exquisite sensitivity and high energy efficiency. Electronic cochlear models, which mimic the exponentially-tapered structure of the biological inner ear using bidirectional transmission lines or filter cascades, act as fast and hardware-efficient spectrum analyzers at...