Chapter 11. RF Mixers
Published Online: 9 OCT 2001
DOI: 10.1002/0471200689.ch11
Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Book Title
Radio Frequency Circuit Design
Additional Information
How to Cite
Davis, W. A. and Agarwal, K. K. (2001) RF Mixers, in Radio Frequency Circuit Design, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, USA. doi: 10.1002/0471200689.ch11
Publication History
- Published Online: 9 OCT 2001
Book Series:
Book Series Editors:
- Kai Chang
Series Editor Information
Texas A&M University
ISBN Information
Print ISBN: 9780471350521
Online ISBN: 9780471200680
- Summary
- Chapter
Keywords:
- RF mixers;
- nonlinear devices;
- mixers;
- figures of merit;
- single-ended mixers;
- single-balanced mixers;
- double-balanced transistor mixers;
- spurious response;
- noise figure;
- noise temperature;
- single-sideband;
- problems
Summary
A typical mixer is a three-port circuit that accepts two signals at two different frequencies and produces at the third port a signal that is the sum or difference of the two input frequencies. Production of a new frequency or frequencies requires a nonlinear device. Various mixers are discussed (single-ended, single-balanced, double-balanced).
Some of the primary mixer performance criteria for mixers are described. The first of these are the spurious frequencies generated when the mixer is excited by a single tone RF signal. A second measurement of mixer performance results from exciting it with two tones near to each other that produces two IF terms. The latter is termed two-tone intermodulation distortion.
Single-tone intermodulation is an effect of the imbalance in the transformers or the diodes used in the mixer. A distinction is made between the inherent nonlinear current-voltage curve of a diode and the nonlinearity associated with the switching action of the diode. Two-tone intermodulation distortion is best explained by following a simple experimental procedure.