Design of a broadband passive X-band double-balanced mixer in SiGe HBT technology

Rasmus Schandorph Michaelsen, Tom Keinicke Johansen, Kjeld M. Tamborg, Vitaliy Zhurbenko

    Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

    Abstract

    In this paper, a passive double-balanced mixer in SiGe HBT technology is presented. Owing to lack of suitable passive mixing elements in the technology, the mixing elements are formed by diode-connected HBTs. The mixer uses lumped element Marchand baluns on both the local oscillator (LO) and the radio frequency (RF) port. A break out of the Marchand balun is measured. This demonstrates good phase and magnitude match of 0.7° and 0.11 dB, respectively. The Marchand baluns are broadband with a measured 3 dB bandwidth of 6.4 GHz, while still having a magnitude imbalance better than 0.4 dB and a phase imbalance better than 5°. Unfortunately with a rather high loss of 2.5 dB, mainly due to the low Q-factor of the inductors used. The mixer is optimized for use in doppler radars and is highly linear with a 1 dB compression point above 12 dBm IIP2 of 66 dBm. The conversion gain at the center frequency of 8.5 GHz is −9.8 dB at an LO drive level of 15 dBm. The whole mixer is very broadband with 3 dB bandwidth from 7 to 12 GHz covering the entire X-band. The LO–IF, RF–IF, and RF–LO isolation is better than 46, 36, and 36 dB, respectively, in the entire band of operation.
    Original languageEnglish
    JournalInternational Journal of Microwave and Wireless Technologies
    Volume6
    Issue number3-4
    Pages (from-to)235-242
    ISSN1759-0787
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2014

    Keywords

    • Research Paper

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