Modulator Translates Baseband IQ Into RF Signals

TO SATISFY BOTH WIRELESS DATA and two-way radio systems, an RF quadrature modulator supports a wide range of modulation types through its in-phase/quadrature (I/Q) architecture. The CMX993 general-purpose, RF quadrature modulator covers 100 MHz to ...
Jan. 26, 2009

TO SATISFY BOTH WIRELESS DATA and two-way radio systems, an RF quadrature modulator supports a wide range of modulation types through its in-phase/quadrature (I/Q) architecture. The CMX993 general-purpose, RF quadrature modulator covers 100 MHz to 1 GHz. It operates at +3.3 VDC and features a noise floor of 155 dBm/Hz and wideband noise of 148 dBc/Hz offset 5 MHz from the carrier. It offers 30 dB of gain control in 2.5-dB steps with 10-microsecond gain switching speed. The modulator consists of two integrated and matched double-balanced mixers driven from a buffered-quadrature-split local oscillator (LO) with drive requirements of just 15 dBm. The LO frequency is divided by either 2 or 4 with the mixers forming an in-phase/quadrature (I/Q) vector modulator with programmable gain stages. The modulator's inputs can be driven single ended or differentially for optimum performance. A digital control interface, dubbed the C-BUS (SPI-compatible interface), allows gain control as well as the power management of individual internal blocks.

CML Microcircuits USA, Inc., 465 Corporate Square Dr., Winston-Salem, NC 27105; (336) 744- 5050, FAX: (336) 744-5054, Internet: www.cmlmicro.com.

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About the Author

Nancy Friedrich

Nancy Friedrich

RF Product Marketing Manager for Aerospace Defense, Keysight Technologies

Nancy Friedrich is RF Product Marketing Manager for Aerospace Defense at Keysight Technologies. Nancy Friedrich started a career in engineering media about two decades ago with a stint editing copy and writing news for Electronic Design. A few years later, she began writing full time as technology editor at Wireless Systems Design. In 2005, Nancy was named editor-in-chief of Microwaves & RF, a position she held (along with other positions as group content head) until 2018. Nancy then moved to a position at UBM, where she was editor-in-chief of Design News and content director for tradeshows including DesignCon, ESC, and the Smart Manufacturing shows.

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