678 Chapter 14: Introduction to Microwave Systems

FIGURE 14.12 Block diagram of a direct-conversion receiver.

Direct conversion receiver: The direct conversion receiver, shown in Figure 14.12, uses a
mixer and local oscillator to perform frequency down-conversion with a zero IF frequency.
The local oscillator is set to the same frequency as the desired RF signal, which is then
converted directly to baseband. For this reason, the direct conversion receiver is sometimes
called a homodyne receiver. For AM reception the received baseband signal would not re-
quire any further detection. The direct conversion receiver offers several advantages over
the TRF receiver, as selectivity can be controlled with a simple low-pass baseband filter,
and gain may be spread through the RF and baseband stages (although it is difficult to ob-
tain stable high gain at very low frequencies). Direct conversion receivers are simpler and
less costly than superheterodyne receivers since there is no IF amplifier, IF bandpass filter,
or IF local oscillator required for final down conversion. Another important advantage of
direct conversion is that there is no image frequency, since the mixer difference frequency
is effectively zero, and the sum frequency is twice the LO and easily filtered. However, a
serious disadvantage is that the LO must have a very high degree of precision and stability,
especially for high RF frequencies, to avoid drift of the received signal frequency. This type
of receiver is often used with Doppler radars, where the exact LO can be obtained from
the transmitter, but a number of newer wireless systems are being designed with direct
conversion receivers.
Superheterodyne receiver: By far the most popular type of receiver in use today is the
superheterodyne circuit, shown in Figure 14.13. The block diagram is similar to that of the
direct conversion receiver, but the IF frequency is now nonzero, and is generally selected to
be between the RF frequency and baseband. A midrange IF allows the use of sharper cutoff
filters for improved selectivity, and higher IF gain through the use of an IF amplifier. Tuning
is conveniently accomplished by varying the frequency of the local oscillator so that the IF
frequency remains constant. The superheterodyne receiver represents the culmination of
over 50 years of receiver development, and is used in the majority of broadcast radios and
televisions, radar systems, cellular telephone systems, and data communications systems.
At microwave and millimeter wave frequencies it is often necessary to use two stages
of down conversion to avoid problems due to LO stability. Such a dual-conversion super-
heterodyne receiver employs two local oscillators, two mixers, and two IF frequencies to
achieve down-conversion to baseband.

FIGURE 14.13 Block diagram of a single-conversion superheterodyne receiver.