Direct microwave synthesis DAC with 26GHz output bandwidth

The company is now offering beta samples of its EV12DD700 dual-channel device for qualified customers, ahead of volume shipments. This wide output bandwidth 12-bit (or 8-bit) data converter can deal with sample rates of up to 12GSamples/s. It has the capacity to generate signal waveforms over multiple frequency bands.

What sets it apart from other DACs is the fact that it is first on the market to support operation within the Ka-band (26GHz upwards). Numerous sophisticated features have been incorporated, such as Direct Digital Synthesis (DDS), plus Digital Up Conversion (DUC) via a built-in 32-bit Numerically-Controlled Oscillator (NCO). These facilitate greater throughput without putting excess strain on the IC’s resources.

Thanks to the EV12DD700 DACs, Teledyne e2v is enabling engineers to take significant steps towards creating next generation RF systems that have much greater versatility. It will mean that RF system designs with digital functions, like Fast Frequency Hopping (FFH) and beamforming, can be realised. The software-based approach that is envisaged will make it possible to implement configuration changes directly in code, by configuring the DAC, rather than having the inconvenience and expense of making alterations to the hardware. Key applications will include radar, satellite communication, terrestrial network infrastructure, etc.

This latest announcement follows on the EV12DD700-based evaluation board that Teledyne e2v introduced back in the spring, via which engineers could initially gauge the performance levels delivered. Now with direct access to samples, they will get the opportunity to look at how the DACs will fit into their designs and begin to plan migration.

“Through these unique DAC devices we are accelerating the widely anticipated software-isation of RF, which is something that is certain to bring huge benefits in the future,” explained Nicolas Chantier, Marketing Director for Data & Signal Processing Solutions at Teledyne e2v. “Availability of samples at this point will be highly appealing to engineers, as it will take time to rethink how their data conversion architectures are going to be structured.”

The new EV12DD700 DACs will be supplied in a Hi-TCE package format with 20x20mm dimensions. These robust ICs have a wide operational temperature range, which covers -55°C to 125°C.

Click here to watch the EV12DD700 during Live Demo sessions on the 10th and 11th of November.