Modulator Combines Four Devices To Cover 950 To 1575 MHz

May 20, 2009

TYPICALLY, BROADBAND-SATELLITE-COMMUNICATION designs required a variety of RF integrated circuits (ICs) to form an intermediate-frequency (IF) signal path. In contrast, the ADRF6750 modulator integrates an analog in-phase/ quadrature (I/Q) modulator, fractional-N phase-locked-loop (PLL) synthesizer, voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO), and digitally controlled RF attenuator in an 8-x-8-mm LFCSP package. Covering 950 to 1575 MHz with a single 5-V power supply, the ADRF6750 modulator enables 10-Hz frequency increments. Its output attenuator provides 47 dB output gain control with 1-dB step resolution. The ADRF6750 delivers +8.5 dBm output power at 1-dB compression, an output third-order intercept of +21 dBm, and a noise floor of 148 dBc/Hz. The device also features monitoring-output and output-disable-control capabilities. In addition, it supports a user-selectable SPI/I²C serial interface. P&A: Sampling with volume production scheduled for July; $5.75 each in 1000Q.

Analog Devices, Inc., 3 Technology Way, Norwood, MA 02062; (781) 329-4700, Internet: www.analog.com.

About the Author

Nancy Friedrich | Editor-in-Chief

Nancy Friedrich began her career in technical publishing in 1998. After a stint with sister publication Electronic Design as Chief Copy Editor, Nancy worked as Managing Editor of Embedded Systems Development. She then became a Technology Editor at Wireless Systems Design, an offshoot of Microwaves & RF. Nancy has called the microwave space “home” since 2005.