A new high-performance mixer from Linear Technology features low power consumption with the capability of operating from low frequency up to 4 GHz. The LT5560 can be configured either as an up- or a down-converting mixer, providing flexibility for a wide range of high performance portable or fixed wireless systems, including public-safety handheld radios, WiMAX transceiver modems, handheld RFID readers, VHF/UHF transceivers, wireless headphones and professional microphones, GSM/EDGE basestations and repeaters, satellite receivers, ISM band radios, and portable RF instrumentation.

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When configured as a 900 MHz down converting mixer at a nominal supply current of 10 mA, the LT5560 offers a high IIP3 of +9.7 dBm and a noise figure of 10.1 dB. This performance is complemented by high conversion gain of 2.6 dB. Moreover, the device exhibits exceptionally high port-to-port RF isolation in the range of -55 dBc.  The LT5560 incorporates a double-balanced mixer core design to maximize linearity and RF isolation. The local oscillator (LO) port can be driven with a single-ended, low level input in the range of -6 dBm to +1 dBm. Additionally, the signal input port incorporates an input buffer, providing excellent LO-to-INPUT isolation while boosting conversion gain.

The active mixer operates from a single supply with wide operating voltage range from 2.7 V to 5.25 V. Nominal quiescent current is 10 mA with all parameters specified at this current. However, the LT5560's supply current may be adjusted from as low as 4 mA up to 13.5 mA by a single external resistor, thus trading power dissipation for linearity performance. Moreover, the device can be shut down by an ENABLE pin. When disabled, the chip typically draws 0.1 µA quiescent current to conserve power.

The LT5560 is offered in a small footprint 8-pin 3 mm x 3 mm surface mount DFN package. Pricing starts at $1.56 each in 1,000-piece quantities.
www.linear.com