Two new RF active mixers from Linear Technology feature low power and high performance, making them suitable for wireless infrastructure transceiver and portable radio applications. The LT5525 and LT5526 consume only one-half the power of other high-performance mixers, while delivering excellent linearity to meet the requirements of cellular and wireless repeaters, pico-base stations, point-to-point wireless links and mobile radios.

The LT5526 features an input third order intercept (IIP3) of 16.5 dBm at 900 MHz, and a noise figure (NF) of 11 dB. This performance is complemented by a conversion gain of 0.6 dB. Moreover, the LT5526 requires only -5 dBm local oscillator (LO) drive, and its port-to-port LO leakage is exceptionally low at -65 dBm, reducing external filtering requirements. The LT5526 has fully differential inputs and outputs, and operates over a very wide bandwidth ranging from 100 kHz to 2 GHz. The device has the capability for use as either a downconverting mixer or as an upconverting mixer in many applications.

The LT5525 features an on-chip RF input transformer, and offers internal 50 V impedance matching at both the RF and the LO inputs. These inputs can be driven single-ended, without external impedance matching components, thus facilitating ease of use and reducing costs. The LT5525's IIP3 is 21 dBm at 900 MHz, and 17.6 dBm at 1.9 GHz. At 900 MHz, the NF is 14 dB and the conversion gain is -2.6 dB. The LT5525 requires only -5 dBm LO drive, and offers high port-to-port isolation.

Both the LT5525 and LT5526 operate from a single supply voltage, ranging from 3.6 V to 5.3 V. Typical operating current is 28 mA. The devices can operate at a supply voltage as low as 3 V with reduced linearity performance. These devices are offered in a 16-pin 4 mm × 4 mm surface-mount QFN package.

For more information, visit www.linear.com.