Analog Devices intros best-in-class RF ICs

BOSTON, USA, International Microwave Symposium 2009 (IMS2009): RF ICs are the essential building blocks that enable voice, data and multimedia distribution in today’s cable, wireless communications, and satellite networks.

Analog Devices Inc. has introduced several new RF ICs with best-in-class performance effective for demanding, high-performance communications infrastructure, industrial equipment and instrumentation, and defense applications.

ADI is showcasing these products, which include a PLL (phase locked loop) synthesizer, two RF/IF gain blocks, a driver amplifier and a TruPwr rms power detector, at the IEEE Microwave Theory and Techniques Society’s IMS2009 in Boston (ADI booth #2030) on June 9-11, 2009.

PLL allows maximum flexibility
Phase-locked loops (PLLs) are widely used in satellite, telecom, industrial instrumentation and other electronic applications.

Adding to its popular PLL synthesizer family, Analog Devices’ new ADF4150 PLL synthesizer provides designers with a low phase-noise solution (figure of merit of -222 dBc/Hz), capable of either Fractional-N or Integer-N operation. Operating within a range up to 4.4 GHz, the ADF4150 is software-compatible with ADI’s recently released ADF4350 PLL/VCO (voltage controlled oscillator), offering flexibility for lower phase noise applications within next generation wireless infrastructure and cable networking equipment.

The device is supported by the ADIsimPLL design tool that allows users to select VCO and loop filter and reference input to ease the design and selection of external components.

RF/IF gain blocks offer highest dynamic range up to 4GHz
RF/IF gain blocks are used in a wide variety of cable TV, cellular, and instrumentation equipment applications. The ADL5601 and ADL5602 are broadband RF/IF gain blocks that operate from 50 MHz up to 4 GHz.

The ADL5601 and ADL5602 offer the industry’s highest dynamic range available from internally matched gain blocks, by achieving extremely low noise figures and very high OIP3 specifications simultaneously across the entire 4 GHz frequency range. Both devices also feature integrated internal bias circuitry minimizing the need for external components, which saves board area and cost. Both devices are fully ESD protected and are available in the industry standard SOT-89 package.

Broadband 1-W driver amp consumes less power
Broadband driver amplifiers can be used in a wide variety of wired and wireless applications, including for the ISM, WLL, PCS, GSM, CDMA, W-CDMA, and LTE (long-term evolution) standards.

The ADL5604 high-performance, low-power, broadband 1-W driver amplifier brings together the industry’s best combination of power (1 W) and operating frequency range (400 MHz to 2700 MHz.) The ADL5604 increases signal linearity, and consumes less power, relative to competing RF amplifiers, while being easy to tune. The low current consumption of 325 mA allows excellent thermal performance from a compact 4 mm x 4 mm LFCSP package.

The ADL5604 also includes a shutdown function and integrates the active bias circuitry, which minimizes the need for external components. These features ease design complexities and enables RF designers to more quickly bring cost-effective, highly-efficient RF designs to market.

TruPwr RMS detector
ADI’s ADL5902 TruPwr rms detector (root-to-means square detector) is designed for high-performance RF applications, including power amplifier (PA) linearization/control loops, transmitter power control, transmitter signal strength indication (TSSI) and RF instrumentation that require accurate control of output power and use complex signals with highly varying peak-to-average ratios.

The ADL5902 precisely measures signals with highly varying crest factors up to the industry’s highest frequency for an rms detector of 9 GHz. The ADL5902 also achieves an industry best temperature stability of < ±0.3 dB over its entire 60 dB dynamic range. The ADL5902 extends ADI’s award winning rms portfolio into new communications, military, and instrumentation applications due to its frequency and temperature stability advancements.

The need for an external balun is also eliminated by sending incoming signals directly into the single-ended input. With these features the ADL5902 supports the industry’s focus on increasing efficiency and measurement precision in order to improve ease-of-use and reduce the overall system size and cost.