Systems and methods providing an intermodulation distortion sink

A method comprising:

• receiving a single-ended RF signal at an active balun, the active balun including a first transistor of a first type and a second transistor of a second type coupled in series between a first node and a second node, the first type and second type being complementary, wherein the single-ended RF signal is received at a gate of the first transistor and at a gate of the second transistor;
• converting the single-ended RF signal to a differential signal by the active balun;
• and
• during the converting, reducing second-order intermodulation distortion (IMD) signals by a IMD sink circuit coupled with the first node and the second node.

A circuit comprising:

• an active balun including:
• a first transistor of a first type and a second transistor of a second type coupled in series between a first node and a second node, the first type and the second type being complementary;
• a third transistor of the first type and a fourth transistor of the second type coupled in series between the first node and the second node;
• a first current source coupled between the first node and a power supply;
• a second current source coupled between the second node and ground;
• a radio frequency (RF) input configured to receive an RF signal at a gate of the first transistor and at a gate of the second transistor;
• a first differential signal output coupled to a drain of the first transistor and a drain of the second transistor;
• and
• a second differential signal output coupled to a drain of the third transistor and a drain of the fourth transistor;
• and
• an intermodulation distortion (IMD) sink circuit coupled with the active balun and comprising:
• a first capacitor coupled with the first node and the second node;
• and
• an operational amplifier (op amp) configured to receive a first component of an IMD signal and a second component of the IMD signal and to generate a difference signal in response thereto.