14 May 2012

Hittite launches dual-channel downconverter RFIC for multi-standard diversity receivers

Hittite Microwave Corp of Chelmsford, MA, USA (which designs and supplies analog, digital and mixed-signal RF, microwave and millimeter-wave ICs, modules and subsystems as well as instrumentation) has launched a broadband high-IP3 dual-channel downconverter that operates at 700-3500MHz. The HMC990LP4E suits space-constrained frequency conversion applications in wireless infrastructure equipment such as base transceiver stations, remote radio units and small cells.

The high-linearity, dual-channel downconverting mixer is optimized for multi-standard diversity receiver applications that require low power consumption and small size. The highly integrated RFIC features new wideband limiting LO amplifiers to achieve an RF bandwidth of 700-3500MHz. Unlike conventional narrow-band downconverter RFICs, the HMC990LP4E supports both high-side and low-side LO injection over the entire RF frequency band.

The device integrates LO and IF amplifiers, LO and RF baluns and wideband passive mixer cores with bias control. The unique architecture of the dual-channel converter provides what is claimed to be excellent LO/RF, LO/IF, and RF/IF isolations, while the RF and LO input ports are internally matched to 50Ω. Suiting demanding high-linearity applications, the HMC990LP4E exhibits a very low noise figure of 9dB with high input IP3 of +25dBm. For narrow-band applications, the input IP3 performance can be further optimized with simple external matching.

Housed in a compact RoHS-compliant, 4mm x 4mm plastic QFN package, the HMC990LP4E consumes typically less than 1.5W, while a very fast enable control interface for the LO and IF amplifiers provides additional power conservation options in time division duplex (TDD) applications. Samples and evaluation PC boards for all SMT-packaged products are available from stock.

Tags: Hittite Dual-channel downconverter

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