1

Presentation Outline
o Understand operating principles of the mixer
o

Choices:
Nonlinear/switching mode; single/double balance; active/passive

Specify performance:
Gain, Noise Figure, P1dB, IIP3, isolation, image rejection

Overview of my dissertation

o References

What is a mixer?

x(t)y(t)

x(t)

Frequency translation device

Doesnt mix; it multiplies

y(t)

AB
AB
x(t ). y (t )
cos(1 2 )t
cos(1 2 )t
2
2
down convert

up convert

Source :http://rf-circuits.info/radio/rf-mixers/

Images

Two inputs (RF & Image) will mix to the same output (IF) frequency.

The image frequency must be removed by filtering

Image rejection ratio: dB(PIF desired/PIF image)

Source :http://rf-circuits.info/radio/rf-mixers/

Mixer operating mechanisms

Nonlinear transfer function

use device nonlinearities creatively!

useful at mm-wave frequencies

Switching or sampling

a time-varying process

preferred; fewer spurs

Nonlinear mixer operation

Any diode or transistor will exhibit nonlinearity in its transfer characteristic at

sufficiently high signal levels.

Source :http://rf-circuits.info/radio/rf-mixers/

Switching or sampling mixers

Let

V IN (t ) V R cos( RF t )

Multiply by the LO switching function T(t)

Source :http://rf-circuits.info/radio/rf-mixers/

Mixer Topologies :
Basic implementations:
Passive mixers
Active mixers
Mixers can be divided in classes, which all may be implemented as
passive or active:
Single-device Mixer
Single-Balanced Mixer
Double-Balanced Mixer

Active & Passive mixers :

Active Mixers:
Pros

Passive Mixers:
Pros

Small size

More linearity

High conversion gain

High port to port isolation

Reduced power consumption

Low flicker noise

Cons
More Noise Sources
Less linear

Driven by both current as

well as voltage sources
Cons
High power consumption

Singly Balanced Mixers:

Source :http://rf-circuits.info/radio/rf-mixers/

10

Ideal Double Balanced Mixer

Source :http://rf-circuits.info/radio/rf-mixers/

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Mixer Performance Specifications

Image rejection
Conversion gain: voltage or power
Port-to-port isolation: dBc
Large signal performance:
gain compression: P1dB
intermodulation distortion spec: third-order intercept (TOI)

Small signal performance: noise figure

Operating range: Spurious-free dynamic range

Conversion Gain
Conversion gain or loss is the ratio of the desired IF output (voltage or power) to
the RF input signal value ( voltage or power).

r.m.s. voltage of the IF signal

Voltage Conversion Gain
r.m.s. voltage of the RF signal
IF power delivered to the load
Power Conversion Gain
Available power from the source

If the input impedance and the load impedance of the mixer are both equal to the source
impedance, then the voltage conversion gain and the power conversion gain of the mixer will
be the same in dBs.

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Noise Figure

Noise figure is defined as:

SNRin
N added
F
1
SNRout
GN in

Types of noise:

Resistor thermal Noise

Transistor Noise

Flicker noise

N in 4kT0 R

SSB Noise Figure

Source :http://rf-circuits.info/radio/rf-mixers/

Broadband noise from mixer or front end filter will be located in both image and desired
bands

Noise from both image and desired bands will combine in desired channel at IF output

Channel filter cannot remove this

DSB Noise Figure

Source :http://rf-circuits.info/radio/rf-mixers/

For zero IF, there is no image band

Noise from positive and negative frequencies combine, but the signals combine as well

DSB noise figure is 3 dB lower than SSB noise figure

DSB noise figure often quoted since it sounds better

Port-to-Port Isolations

Isolation

Isolation between RF, LO and IF ports

LO/RF and LO/IF isolations are the most important features.

Reducing LO leakage to other ports can be solved by filtering.

IF

RF

LO

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1-dB Compression point

System Dynamic range

Source :http://rf-circuits.info/radio/rf-mixers/

Intermodulation distortion (IIP3)

IMD consists of the higher order signal products
that are generated when two RF
signals are present at the mixer input.
The IMD will be down and up
converted by the LO as will the
desired RF signal.

f IMD mf RF 1 nf RF 2

Source :http://rf-circuits.info/radio/rf-mixers/

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Problem Statement
To design a Wide-band Passive Sub-harmonic Mixer with a goal of
achieving :
Considerable conversion gain
Low noise figure
High linearity
Low power consumption
Broad band Matching

Differential configuration Passive SHM

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MIXER

Balun
Bias Tee

LNTA

RF

Bias Tee

T
I
A

0
LOI (0)
LO

Quadrature
Coupler

180
LOQ (90)

90
270
Active Balun

Buffer

IF

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Contd. . .
Advantages of Sub-harmonic mixer
SHM can reduce the LO frequency to a fraction to RF frequency
Has low power consumption , better noise figure performance for
high frequency applications.
Low flicker noise
Due to absence of DC offsets they have gained interest in direct
conversion receivers

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De-embedding of noise figure

A. Abidi and J. Leete, De-embedding the noise figure of differential amplifiers , IEEE
Journal of Solid-State Circuits, vol. 34, no. 6, pp. 882-885, Jun. 1999.
Friiss equation

F 2 1 F3 1
Fn 1
F F1

G1
G1G 2
G1G 2 Gn 1
M. Robens, R. Wunderlich, and S. Heinen, Differential Noise Figure De-Embedding: A
Comparison of Available Approaches," IEEE Transactions on Microwave Theory and
Techniques, vol. 59, no. 5, pp. 1397-1407, May 2011.

Contd. . .

23

Vn, bal

Vn, mix
Vn , buf

Av, mix

Av , bal

Vin, RS
1

Av , bal
Vin, RF

Vout , IF
3

Buffer
2

+
Ro

Av, buf
Vn, bal

+
-

Av, buf

Balun
3

Rs

Av, mix
Vn, mix

Zin
Schematic fig. for de-embedding the N.F. of differential configuration SHM

Zou
t

Contd. . .

24

Vn, bal

Av , bal

Vin, RS

Av , bal

Rs
Vin, RF

+
+
+
Vn, bal

Zin,ba
+
-

Schematic fig. for measurement of noise figure for balun

Ro

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Contd. . .
Noise figure of balun is

Fbal 1

The final result is

Vn2,bal

Zin , bal 2
2
A
V

v ,bal n , Rs
Rs Zin , bal

Fbal 1 Fmix 1
Fbuf 1
Fcasc 1

2
2
2
2
2 Av ,bal Av ,buf Av ,mix

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Desired Specifications values

Parameter

Values

Technology

180nm CMOS

Topology

LNTA+PSHM+TIA

RF frequency (GHz)

2-6

Conversion gain (dB)

>13

DSB NF (dB)

< 12.5

S11 (dB)

<-10

IIP3 (dBm)

[-10,-2]

PDC (mW)

Minimum

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Work Flow Chart

References :

28

[1] K.-L. Du and M. N. S. Swamy, Technologies, Wireless Communication Systems - From RF Subsystems to 4G Enabling. Cambridge University Press,
2010.
[2] B. Razavi, RF Microelectronics, 2nd ed. Prentice Hall, 2011.
[3] T. H. Lee, The Design of CMOS Radio-Frequency Integrated Circuits, 2nd ed. Cambridge University Press, 2004.
[4] Gray, P. R. and Meyer, R. G., Design of Analog Integrated Circuits, 3rd Ed., Chap. 10, Wiley, 1993.
[5] Gilbert, B., Design Considerations for BJT Active Mixers, Analog Devices, 1995.
[6] Lee, T. H., The Design of CMOS Radio-Frequency Integrated Circuits, Chap. 11, Cambridge U. Press, 1998.
[7] Hayward, W., Introduction to Radio Frequency Design, Chap. 6, American Radio Relay League, 1994.
[8] Maas, S., Applying Volterra Series Analysis, Microwaves and RF, p. 55-64, May 1999.
[9] Minicircuits RF/IF Designers Handbook, www.minicircuits.com
[10] Maas, S., The Diode Ring Mixer, RF Design, p. 54-62, Nov. 1993.
[11] Maas, S., A GaAs MESFET Mixer with Very Low Intermodulation, IEEE Trans. on MTT, MTT-35, pp. 425-429, Apr. 1987.
[12] http://rf-circuits.info/radio/rf-mixers/#Mixer_Specifications

[13] B. R. Jackson, "Subharmonic Mixers in CMOS Microwave Integrated Circuits," PhD Thesis, Queen's University, 2009.
[14] A. Mazzanti, M. Sosio, M. Repossi, and F. Svelto, A 24 GHz Subharmonic Direct Conversion Receiver in 65 nm CMOS,"
IEEE Transactions on Circuits and Systems I: Regular Papers, vol. 58, no. 1, pp. 88-97, Jan. 2011.
[15] Henry C. Jen, Steven C. Rose, Robert G. Meyer, A 2.2GHz Sub-Harmonic Mixer for Direct Conversion Receivers in 0.13m
CMOS,

IEEE International Solid-State Circuits Conference Tech. Dig., pp. 18401849, Feb. 2006.

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