Maxim Integrated Products Inc. introduced the MAX2055, which the company says is the industry's first high-performance, digitally controlled, variable-gain, differential analog-to-digital converter (ADC) driver/amplifier (DVGA).

The MAX2055 integrates a digitally controlled attenuator and a high-linearity single-ended-to-differential output amplifier, which can either eliminate an external transformer, or improve the even-order distortion performance of a transformer-coupled circuit, thus relaxing the requirements of the anti-alias filter preceding an ADC.

The MAX2055 is optimized to deliver IF frequencies from 30 MHz to 300 MHz. It is ideal for GSM, DCS/PCS, EDGE, iDEN, PHS, cdma2000, and WB-CDMA multicarrier and single carrier base-station applications.

The MAX2055 delivers 23 dB of gain range with ±0.2 dB accuracy over the full temperature range. OIP3 performance is 40 dBm over the -3 dB to +20 dB gain range.

When using the product to drive ADCs, the OPI3 reduces in-band intermodulation noise below that found on most 12- to 16-bit ADCs, the company says. It integrates a high-performance, digitally switched attenuator that boasts -12 dB of return loss and stable gain performance over temperature.

The on-board fixed-gain amplifier delivers low 6 dB noise figure. Overall board space used by the DVGA is 50 percent less than comparable discrete solutions, the company says.

When used in radio receivers, the MAX2055 interfaces to a high-speed ADC with AC-coupled inputs or directly drives a transformer to perform impedance matching. It has as fixed 50 Ω matched-output impedance that remains stable over the entire 30 MHz to 300 MHz operating frequency range.

The MAX2055 is available in a thermally enhanced 20-pin TSSOP-EP package and operates over the -40° C to +85° C temperature range. Prices start at $4.95 for 1,000 unit orders.
Maxim Integrated Products Inc. www.maxim-ic.com