Chapter 5

RF Mixers

1
 Introduction of Mixers (frequency converters)
Mixer is a three-port element including two ports for the input signals at two
different frequencies and produces at the third port a signal that is the summation
or subtraction of the two input frequencies:

Upconverter mixer: Downconverter mixer:

Local oscillator (pump) frequency (LO): fp Local oscillator (pump) frequency (LO): fp
Intermediate frequency (IF): f1 Input signal frequency (RF): f1
Output signal frequency (RF): f0 = f1 + fp Intermediate frequency (IF): f0 = fp − f1

2
Nonlinear Characteristic of Devices
Diodes and BJTs:
The nonlinear function of a p-n junction diode or BJT: 𝑰 𝒕 = 𝑰𝑺 𝒆𝒒𝑽(𝒕)/𝒌𝑻

The excitation signal:

The device current:

3
 Nonlinear Characteristic of Devices
The basic result is a set of frequencies nωp + mω1 where n and m can take on any integer.
The usual desired output for a receiver is the intermediate frequency (IF), ω0. The
frequencies of primary interest are given the following names:

4
Nonlinear Characteristic of Devices
FETs:
The nonlinear function of a FET: 𝑰 𝒕 = 𝑰𝑫𝑺𝑺 𝟏 − 𝑽(𝒕)/𝑽𝑻 𝟐

The excitation signal:

The output current:

5
 Merit Parameters of a Mixer
Conversion Loss is the ratio of the input available power to the delivered output power:

Available RF input power, 𝑃1

𝐿=
Ouput IF power, 𝑃0

The conversion loss for a typical diode mixer is between 4 and 7 dB. The conversion loss
is dependent on the local oscillator power and the impedance matching of the ports.

Isolation is the inverse of the degree of LO power that leaks into either the IF or the RF
ports. For double-balanced mixers this value typically lies in the 15 to 25 dB range.
Conversion compression: for example, the 1-dB compression point occurs when the
conversion loss increases by 1 dB above the conversion loss in the low-power linear
range. A typical value of 1.0 dB compression occurs when the RF power is +7 dBm and
the LO is +13 dBm.
LO drive power is the required LO power level needed to make the mixer operates in
optimum. For a double-balanced mixer, this is typically +6 dBm to +20 dBm.

6
 Merit Parameters of a Mixer
Noise figure is a measure of the noise added by the mixer itself to the RF input signal as
it gets converted to the output IF.
Dynamic range is the maximum RF input power range for the mixer. The maximum
amplitude is limited by the conversion compression, and the minimum amplitude is limited
by the noise figure.
Input intercept point is the RF input power at which the output power levels of the
undesired intermodulation products (e.g. IM3) and the desired IF output would be equal.
It conducts to the definition of spurious free dynamic range (SFDR)

7
 Single-Ended Diode Mixer
The single-ended mixer in below figure shows that the RF input signal and the local
oscillator signal enter the mixer at the same point.
Some degree of isolation between the two is achieved by using a directional coupler in which
the RF signal enters the direct port and the local oscillator enters through the coupled port.

The amplitude of the LO is large enough to turn the diode on and off during each cycle. The
LO power is so large as to cause clipping of the LO voltage, thereby approximating a square
wave. The small RF signal is then presented with alternately a short or open circuit at the LO
rate. It is this turning on and off of the RF frequency that produces the set of frequencies:

The one of most interest in the standard receiver is f0 = fp - f1

8
Single-Ended Diode Mixer

The disadvantages of the single-ended mixer are a high-noise figure, a large number of
frequencies generated because of the nonlinear diode, a lack of isolation between the RF and LO
signals, and large LO currents in the IF circuit. The RF to LO isolation problem can be very
important, since the LO can leak back out of the RF port and be radiated through the receiver
antenna. The LO currents in the IF circuit would have to be filtered out with a low-pass filter that
has sufficient attenuation at the LO frequency to meet system specifications.

The advantage is that requiring lower LO power than the other types of mixers.

9
Single-Balanced Diode Mixers

10
Single-Balanced Diode Mixers
It is assumed that the LO voltage is much greater than the RF voltage, so Vp>> V1.
The LO voltage can be approximated as a square wave with period T = 1/fp

Fourier analysis of the square wave

If the input RF signal is expressed as V1 cos ω1t, then the output voltage is this multiplied
by the switching function:

Only the odd harmonics of the local oscillator voltage will effect the IF load. Thus the
spurious voltages appearing in the IF circuit are:

11
and all even harmonics of fp are suppressed (or balanced out).
Example: Single-Balanced Diode Mixers
Delte_F=100
F2=F1+Delta_F

PRF=-30 PLO=10
PRF2=PRF-900 PLO1=PLO-900

PORT2 DIODE1 DIODE1

P=1 ID=D2 ID=D1
Z=50 Ohm Nu=1.2 Nu=1.2
Fdelt=Delte_F MHz T=21.85 DegC T=21.85 DegC
V_METER
Pwr1=PRF dBm Io=1e-06 mA Io=1e-06 mA
ID=V_LO
Pwr2=PRF2 dBm

RF IF
PORT
DIODE1 DIODE1 P=3
ID=D4 ID=D3 Z=50 Ohm
Nu=1.2 Nu=1.2
T=21.85 DegC T=21.85 DegC
Io=1e-06 mA Io=1e-06 mA

3 4 5

SUBCKT
ID=S2
NET="Transformer Three Coils"

1 2
PORT2
P=2
Z=50 Ohm
Fdelt=Delte_F MHz
Pwr1=PLO1 dBm
Pwr2=PLO dBm

LO 12
 Example: Single-Balanced Diode Mixers
Vtime(PORT_3,1)[*] (V)
Single
SBMixer Balance
Multitone TimeMixer
Signal V_IF
DB(|Pharm(PORT_3)|)[*] (dBm)
SBMixer Multitone Spectrum
0.01 -10 Single Balance Mixer
m2:
100 MHz m4:
-40.44 dBm m1: 2100 MHz
-30 1000 MHz -40.44 dBm
-35.43 dBm
0.005 m6:
-50 m3: 2300 MHz
1200 MHz -52.14 dBm

Power (dBm)
-56.32 dBm
V_IF (V)

-70
0
-90

-110
-0.005

-130

-0.01 -150
0 5 10 15 20 0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000
Time (ns) Frequency (MHz)

Vtime(V_METER.V_LO,1)[*] (V)
Single
SBMixer Balance
Multitone Mixer
Time Signal Diode V_RF V_LO
1

V_LO (V)
-1

-2

-3
0 5 10 15 20
Time (ns)
13
 Double-Balanced Diode Mixers

The double-balanced mixer is capable of isolating both the RF input voltage and the
LO voltage from the IF load. The slight additional cost of some extra diodes and a balun
is usually outweighed by the improved intermodulation suppression, improved dynamic
range, low conversion loss, and low noise.
Two most widely used double balanced mixers for the RF and microwave band are the
“ring” mixer and the “star” mixer
14
 Double-Balanced Diode Mixers

In both these cases (ring and star mixers) the switching function is shown as:

There is no RF signal nor LO voltage seen in the IF circuit, nor any even harmonics of
the LO voltage.

15
Example: Double-Balanced Diode Mixers
V_METER
Delte_F=100 ID=V_RF
F2=F1+Delta_F

PRF=-30 PLO=10
PRF2=PRF-900 PLO1=PLO-900

PORT2
P=2
Z=50 Ohm
Fdelt=Delte_F MHz DIODE1
DIODE1
Pwr1=PLO1 dBm ID=D2
ID=D1
Pwr2=PLO dBm Nu=1.2
Nu=1.2
T=21.85 DegC
1 3 T=21.85 DegC
LO Io=1e-06 mA
Io=1e-06 mA

4 V_METER
ID=V_LO

2 5 DIODE1
DIODE1
ID=D4
SUBCKT ID=D3
Nu=1.2
ID=S1 Nu=1.2
T=21.85 DegC
NET="Transformer Three Coils" Io=1e-06 mA T=21.85 DegC
Io=1e-06 mA

IF
PORT
3 4 5 P=3
Z=50 Ohm

SUBCKT
ID=S2
NET="Transformer Three Coils"

PORT2 1 2
P=1
Z=50 Ohm
Fdelt=Delte_F MHz
Pwr1=PRF dBm
Pwr2=PRF2 dBm

RF 16
 Example: Double-Balanced Diode Mixers
DBMixer Multitone Time Signal DB(|Pharm(PORT_3)|)[*]
DBMixer Multitone Spectrum (dBm)
0.02
Vtime(PORT_3,1)[*] (V)V_IF -10 Double Balance Mixer
Double Balance Mixer
m1: m2:
-30 100 MHz 2100 MHz m3:
-34.18 dBm -34.18 dBm 2300 MHz
0.01 -44.86 dBm
-50

Power (dBm)
V_IF (V)

-70
0
-90

-110
-0.01

-130

-0.02 -150
0 5 10 15 20 0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000
Time (ns) Frequency (MHz)

Vtime(V_METER.V_LO,1)[*] (R, V) DB(|Pcomp(PORT_3,-1_1)|)[1,X] (dBm)

Double Balance Mixer Sweep Power Double Balance Mixer
DBMixer Multitone Time Signal Diode V_RF V_LO
0.04 Vtime(V_METER.V_RF,1)[*] (L, V) 2
DB(|Pcomp(PORT_3,-3_3)|)[1,X]
Sweep Power (dBm)
20 Sweep Power Double Balance Mixer
Double Balance Mixer

0.02 1 IF Har. Comp. Power (dBm) -30

V_LO (V)
V_RF (V)

0 0 -80

-0.02 -1 -130

-0.04 -2 -180
0 5 10 15 20 -40 -20 0 17 20
Time (ns) RF Input Power (dBm)
Single-Ended Transistor Mixers

Using transistor, these are called active mixers because they provide the possibility of
conversion gain that the diode mixers are not capable of doing.

18
Double-Balanced Transistor Mixers
Gilbert cell multiplier:

19
Double-Balanced Transistor Mixers

20
 Example: Gilbert Cell Mixer

Vcc

Vcc

Vcc

Vcc

Vcc

Vcc

Vcc
Vcc

3V 3V 3V 3V 3V 3V 3V
3V

RES RES RES RES RES

DCVS ID=R1 ID=R2 ID=R7 ID=R8 ID=R9
ID=VCC R=Rv44 Ohm R=Rv44 Ohm R=Rv11 Ohm R=Rv55 Ohm R=Rv55 Ohm
V=3 V

0V
CAP
GBJT3
ID=GP16
GBJT3
ID=GP18
ID=C1
C=100 pF
NN3=4.1

XFMR
IF
PORT
ID=XF5 P=3
2.63 V 2.52 V 0V Z=50 Ohm
RES 2 C C 2 2 C C 2 RES 2 C 2 C N=NN3
4 2
ID=R3 ID=R16 RES
R=1000 Ohm R=1000 Ohm ID=R14
1 1 1 1 1 1 0V
PORT2 R=Rv22 Ohm o o
P=1 3 n1:1 1
B V
2.62 B 2.62 V B B B V
2.41 B V
2.41
Z=50 Ohm
Fdelt=100 MHz NN1=2.5 GBJT3
GBJT3 GBJT3 2.52 V 0V
XFMR E E 3 E E 3GBJT3 3 E 3 E
Pwr1=Pin1 dBm ID=GP1 3 3 ID=GP2 ID=GP3 ID=GP4 CAP
Pwr2=Pinn2 dBm ID=XF1
N=NN1 ID=C2
1 3 1.84 V 1.84 V 1.75 V 1.59 V 1.59 V C=100 pF
1:n1
0V
o o

RF 2 4

2 C C 2
RES
PORT2 ID=R4 1 1
P=2 R=1250 Ohm RES RES
Z=50 Ohm ID=R18 ID=R15 B B
Fdelt=100 MHz NN2=2.7
2 C C 2 R=1250 Ohm R=Rv33 Ohm
Pwr1=-900 dBm XFMR
GBJT3 GBJT3
Pwr2=-30 dBm ID=XF3 3 E E 3
N=NN2 ID=GP19 ID=GP21
1 3 1 1
1:n1 0.791 V 0.791 V
o o
0V B V
1.73 B 1.73 V

LO
LO
2 4 GBJT3
ID=GP5
3 E E 3 GBJT3
ID=GP6
RES
ID=R12
RES
ID=R13
R=50 Ohm
0.931 V R=50 Ohm

C 2 2 C 2 C 2 C 2 C0.698 V

1 1 1 1 1
GBJT3
GBJT3 B B V
0.825 B B B ID=GP20
GBJT3 GBJT3 GBJT3
ID=GP7
ID=GP14 ID=GP17 ID=GP22
E 3 3 E 3 E 3 E 3 E

21
 Example: Gilbert Cell Mixer
DB(|Pcomp(PORT_3,-1_1)|)[1,X] (dBm)
Different Amplifier and Gilbert Miixer.AP_HB
DB(|Pcomp(PORT_3,-3_3)|)[1,X] (dBm)
DB(|LSSnm(PORT_3,PORT_1,-1_1,1_0)|)[*,X]
Conversion Gain Different Amplifier andOut_In
Power Gilbert Miixer.AP_HB
20 Different Amplifier and Gilbert Miixer.AP_HB 0

m2:
-20.56 m1:
10.52 dB -20
10 -50
Conversion Gain (dB)

-9.698 dBm
m1: Freq = 1000 MHz
-27.79

Pout (dBm)
11.54 dB

0 -100

-10 -150

-20 -200
-100 -80 -60 -40 -20 0 -100 -80 -60 -40 -20 0
P_RF (dBm) Pin (dBm)

Vtime(PORT_3,1)[*] DB(|Pharm(PORT_3)|)[*] (dBm)

Output (V)
Time Signal 0
Output Spectrum
Different Amplifier and Gilbert Miixer.AP_HB
0.02 Different Amplifier and Gilbert Miixer.AP_HB
m2:
m1: 2100 MHz
100 MHz -37.4 dBm
0.01 -28.48 dBm

-50
m5: m4:
Voltage (V)

300 MHz 2300 MHz

-103.7 dBm m3:
1900 MHz -83 dBm
0
-100.1 dBm

-100
-0.01

-0.02 -150
0 5 10 15 20 0 2000 4000 6000
Time (ns) Frequency (MHz) 22