Typical applications for Fairview Microwave's new product family of six models of IQ miser models, with RF and LO frequency bands ranging from 4 to 38 GHz and In-Phase and Quadrature IF bandwidths that range from DC to 4.5 GHz, include satellite communications, point-to-point and point-to-multipoint radio, VSAT, military radar, electronic warfare, test equipment, and sensors.
The company's new MMIC IQ mixers (also known as IQ modulators) use a highly reliable GaAs MESFET semiconductor process, which integrates a pair of matched double balanced mixer cells, a 90-degree hybrid and a 0-degree splitter/combiner that produces exceptional amplitude and phase balance performance. This level of integration offers size and performance advantages in comparison to discrete module assemblies. With the addition of an external 90-degree IF hybrid module, these IQ mixers can be used as either a Single Sideband Up-converter Mixer or an Image Reject Down-converter Mixer. The benefit of image rejection and sideband suppression can reduce overall system cost and complexity by removing the need for pre-selection filtering.
Performance as an Image Reject Mixer (IRM) includes low conversion loss that ranges from 7.5 to 10 dBm, high image rejection up to 35 dB typical, and LO to RF isolation as high as 42 dB typical. These IQ mixer designs offer excellent linearity with input 1 dB compression as high as +20 dB typical and input IP3 as high as +35 dB typical. LO drive power ranges from +15 to +19 dBm. The compact and rugged drop-in package designs are hermetically sealed with field replaceable connectors and are guaranteed to meet MIL-STD-883 test conditions for humidity and temperature cycle.