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Analog Devices Inc. has demonstrated the first two devices in a family of RF transceivers for WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) certified terminals that will help lower the cost and drive the wide-scale deployment of broadband wireless access.

Based on the 802.16 standard, WiMAX terminals provide wireless broadband connectivity and are low-cost alternatives to wired solutions such as DSL and cable modems. Leveraging ADI’s data conversion and RF signal processing expertise, the new transceivers integrate high-performance data converters on chip and deliver outstanding RF performance, enabling a WiMAX terminal solution that meets the reduced cost requirements essential for high volume deployment. Excellent RF performance ensures expanded coverage and improved service quality—factors that enhance the user experience and help to facilitate consumer adoption.

Unlike conventional solutions that implement the analog functions on separate devices or include the data converters on the ASIC, the AD9352 and AD9353 RF transceivers use“smart-partitioning,” a concept pioneered by ADI, to integrate all the analog signal processing technology—analog-to-digital converters (ADCs), digital-to-analog converters (DACs), and RF functions—on a single chip. This allows the digital baseband chips to be manufactured on more cost-effective fine line processes, such as 90 nm or 65 nm. The transceivers feature a direct connection to the digital modem via the ADI/Q™ digital I/Q interface, a simple parallel CMOS digital I/O interface that has been adopted by multiple digital modem partners.

The AD9352 and AD9353 are fully-integrated, direct-conversion transceivers for WiMAX (IEEE 802.16) wireless network systems that offer a complete RF and mixed-signal system on a chip. The dual-band AD9352 operates in the 2.3 GHz to 2.7 GHz and 4.9 GHz  to 5.9 GHz ranges and the single-band AD9353 operates in the 3.3 GHz  to 3.8 GHz range. Together, the transceivers cover most licensed and unlicensed bands worldwide.

The AD9352 and AD9353 are sampling now with full production scheduled for December. The transceivers, priced starting at $14.95 per unit in 1,000-piece quantities, are available in 9 mm × 9 mm 64-pin lead-free chip scale packages (LFCSP), and are specified over an operating temperature range of –40 degrees C to +85 degrees C. An evaluation board is available.