Microwave upconverter/downconverter ICs ease design and reduce cost

By Carolyn Mathas, contributing writer

Analog Devices Inc. (ADI) announced the ADMV1013 and ADMV1014 highly integrated microwave upconverter and downconverter ICs. The pair operates over a very wide frequency range with 50-Ω match from 24 GHz up to 44 GHz, promoting design ease and lower costs associated with building a single platform covering all 5G mmWave frequency bands, including 28 GHz and 39 GHz.

The highly integrated upconverters and downconverters are comprised of in-phase (I) and quadrature-phase (Q) mixers with on-chip programmable quadrature phase-shifter configurable for direct conversion to/from baseband (operable from DC to 6 GHz) or to an IF (operable from 800 MHz to 6 GHz). Other on-chip features include voltage variable attenuators, transmit upconverter PA driver and downconverter receive LNA, LO buffers with ×4 frequency multiplier, and programmable tracking filters. The majority of programmability functions are controlled via an SPI serial interface.

The chips are unique, according to Analog Devices, in that, for each upconverter and downconverter, they correct respective quadrature phase imbalance. Therefore, the difficult-to-suppress sideband emission is improved from a typical value of 32 dBc by 10 dB or more. According to the company, this provides an unmatched level of microwave radio performance, while the combination of all features provides unprecedented flexibility and ease of use, minimization of external components, and the ability to implement small form-factor systems such as small cells.

The devices are suited for microwave radio platforms that operate in the growing 28-GHz and 39-GHz 5G wireless infrastructure bands. The 1-GHz bandwidth capability, along with the upconverter’s OIP3 of more than 20 dBm that supports stringent modulation schemes, are necessary to enable multi-Gigabit wireless data. The devices can also be used in satellite and earth station broadband communication links, aircraft radios, RF test equipment, and radar systems.

Samples and production quantities of the ADMV1013 (40-pin, 6 × 6-mm LGA) and the ADMV1014 (32-pin, 5 × 5-mm LGA) are available. Prices start at $90.79 for the ADMV1013 and $88.37 for the ADMV1014.