High-speed quad DAC yields higher performance, design efficiency in wireless base stations

NORWOOD, USA: Analog Devices Inc. (ADI) has introduced the industry’s first high-speed quad DAC (digital-to-analog converter) to provide support for multi-antenna wireless communications standards requiring the large bandwidths demanded by DPD (digital pre-distortion) transmit systems.

The four-channel, 16-bit DAC has a 1-GSPS (giga-sample per second) data rate and cuts component count in half relative to dual-channel DACs. Its 12 mm x 12 mm package size allows designers of WCDMA, CDMA2000, TD-SCDMA, GSM and WiMax infrastructure equipment and other wireless applications to reduce PCB (printed circuit board) space by 20 percent.

AD9148 key features and benefits
* On-chip 32-bit NCO (numerically-controlled oscillator) for complex modulation schemes.
* 2 times, 4 times, and 8 times interpolation.
* Dual-port, time-interleaved LVDS (low-voltage differential signaling) interface with single port or byte-mode support enables high data rates.
* 8-deep FIFO (first-in, first-out) memory eases timing layout.
* Noise spectral density of -158dBm/Hz.
* On-chip support for multi-DAC synchronization.
* IMD (third-order intermodulation distortion) = 85dBc.
* ACLR (adjacent-channel leakage ratio) = 78dBc.
* Flip-chip package technology lowers package inductance and provides for superior AC performance.