RF building block integrates up and down conversion mixers
The release of the CMX975 - 2.7GHz Up/Down Converter has been announced by CML Microcircuits as it expands its RF Building Block IC range. The CMX975 is an enabler for small form factor high frequency RF transceiver designs, operating up to 2.7GHz, that require high performance and low power consumption; in a small form factor.
The device integrates up and down conversion mixers and associated frequency generation circuitry, therefore minimising the number of external components required to configure a complete system.
The device features programmable operation, allowing the designer to fully optimise the system design. Both receive and transmit mixers can be selected to operate as a double balanced mixer stage or as image cancelling mixers, intended to ease external filtering requirements and to lower overall system cost.
A flexible switching arrangement allows internal or externally sourced local oscillator signals and the main RF mixers to be driven from an external or integrated VCO. The integrated Fractional-N PLL allows fine frequency resolution and fast frequency lock. An integer-N PLL and VCO is also integrated to provide an IF local oscillator for superhet architecture operation.
The CMX975 has programmable power management functionality, controlled via a SPI compatible serial bus, operates from a single 2.7-3.6V power supply and is available in a small outline VQFN package.
The device is suited to applications in mobile satellite services (MSS), military communications, aircraft surveillance systems, high performance ISM radio applications and general purpose RF/IF communication systems.