advertisement

Low Distortion, Low Noise Differential Amplifier Drives High Speed

ADCs in Demanding Communications Transceivers
Design Note 366
Cheng-Wei Pei

Introduction LT1993-x Features

Today’s communications transceivers operate at much The LT1993-x is a fully differential input and output am-
higher frequencies and wider bandwidths than those of plifier with up to 7GHz of gain-bandwidth product and an
the past. Combining this with higher resolution require- impressive feature set. There are three fixed-gain options
ments, transceiver design can become daunting. For with internal matched resistors: gain of 2 (6dB), gain of 4
engineers designing these systems, small noise and (12dB) and gain of 10 (20dB). The LT1993-x is DC-coupled,
distortion budgets leave little flexibility when choosing precluding the need for DC blocking capacitors on the
system components. inputs and outputs. The output common mode voltage is
independently controlled with an external pin, allowing
The LT®1993-x is designed to meet the demanding require-
optimal bias conditions for the ADC inputs. The LT1993-x
ments of communications transceiver applications. It can
features two sets of differential outputs: a normal output
be used as a differential ADC driver or as a general-purpose
and a filtered output. The output filter eliminates additional
differential gain block. For single-ended systems, the
filtering in many applications, but if necessary, additional
LT1993-x can replace a transformer in performing single-
filtering can be achieved with a few external components.
ended to differential conversion without sacrificing noise
Figure 1 shows a block diagram of the LT1993-x.
or distortion performance.
High Speed ADC Driving
RF
VEE One of the more challenging tasks in a modern commu-
14
–INA RG
– 12pF
nications transceiver is driving the analog-to-digital con-
A
+OUT
5 verter (ADC). Today’s converters sample data at tens to
–INB RG
13 + +OUTFILTERED hundreds of Megahertz with up to 16 bits of resolution. With
25Ω 6
VOCM each sample cycle, the switching of the internal ADC sample
RF
+ 2
and hold injects charge into the output of the driver which
C 12pF
must absorb the charge and settle its output before the next
RF –
sample is taken. This charge injection is inherent in nearly
25Ω
–OUTFILTERED
all high speed, high resolution ADC topologies and must
16
+INA RG
+
7 be considered when choosing a suitable driver.
–OUT

+INB
RG
B 8
The LT1993-x was designed specifically to drive high speed
15 – 12pF
ADCs to their full potential. With a 3.8nV/√Hz voltage noise
RF
VEE
specification and –70dBc of harmonic distortion at 70MHz
ENABLE (2VP-P differential output), the LT1993-x meets and
3 10 1 11 4 9 12
DN366 F01
exceeds the requirements for driving high resolution high
VCC
speed ADCs. Figure 2 shows an FFT of sampled data taken
VEE

1993-2: RF = 200Ω 1993-4: RF = 200Ω 1993-10: RF = 500Ω

on a 70MHz input signal with the LT1993-2 driving an
RG = 200Ω
BW = 800MHz
RG = 100Ω
BW = 900MHz
RG = 100Ω
BW = 700MHz
LTC®2249 sampling at 80Msps.
, LTC and LT are registered trademarks of Linear Technology Corporation.
Figure 1. Block Diagram of the LT1993-x and the Differ- All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
ences Between the Gain Options. Input Impedance Is 200Ω
for the 6dB Version and 100Ω for the Other Two Versions
06/05/366
 0 0
8192 POINT FFT 32768 POINT FFT
–10 –10 TONE CENTER FREQUENCIES AT
fIN = 70MHz
–20 VIN = 2VP-P –20 62.5MHz, 67.5MHz, 72.5MHz, 77.5MHz
–30 DIFFERENTIAL –30
HD2 = –74dBc
AMPLITUDE (dBFS)

AMPLITUDE (dBFS)
–40 –40 5MHz 5MHz
HD3 = –70dBc
–50 –50
–60 –60
–70 –70
63dB 63dB
–80 –80
–90 –90
–100 –100
–110 –110
–120
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 60 65 70 75 80
FREQUENCY (MHz) FREQUENCY (MHz)
DN366 F02 DN366 F04

Figure 2. FFT Data Taken Using the LT1993-2 and the Figure 4. FFT Data Taken from the Output of the LTC2255
LTC2249 ADC Sampling at 80Msps. The Second Harmonic ADC. The Low IMD of the LT1993-2 Preserves the Signal-
Is at –74dBc and the Third Harmonic Is at –70dBc to-Noise Ratio of the WCDMA Channels

WCDMA Amplifier and ADC Driver with the LT1993-2. The small aberrations on the sides of
Wideband CDMA transceivers often use direct IF sampling, the WCDMA signals are artifacts of a noisy signal genera-
meaning that the ADC samples signals with a 70MHz cen- tor, whose output was bandpass filtered prior to reaching
ter frequency and 5MHz of bandwidth per channel. Up to the LT1993-2.
4 WCDMA channels are transmitted simultaneously, Conclusion
spaced closely in frequency. This places difficult
The LT1993-x is a flexible, cost saving, and easy-to-use
intermodulation distortion (IMD) and noise requirements
differential amplifier and ADC driver that ensures the best
on the components in the transceiver, since both raise the
performance in high speed communications transceiver
noise floor in the closely spaced adjacent channels. The
applications. Besides the low noise, low distortion and high
LT1993-2 boasts an exceptional –70dBc IMD and low
speed, the LT1993-x also saves space with its 0.8mm tall
noise, allowing 63dBc of adjacent channel leakage ratio
3mm × 3mm QFN package. Minimal support circuitry is
(ACLR) for WCDMA signals. This figure exceeds most
required to operate the LT1993-x under most conditions
WCDMA manufacturers’ ACLR specifications.
and output lowpass filtering is included. Three different gain
Figure 3 shows the LT1993-2 driving a LTC2255 14-bit ADC options increase the flexibility of system design and help
with a 70MHz, 4-channel WCDMA signal. On the output of reduce the gain requirements of noisier system compo-
the LT1993-2 is a simple LC bandpass filter that adds nents. The LT1993-x can simplify transceiver designs,
additional out-of-band filtering. Figure 4 shows the FFT data reduce component count and reduce product time-to-
from the LTC2255, demonstrating the good ACLR possible market.

5V
1:4 0.1mF
Z-RATIO
70MHz
IF IN
–INB 12.1W
–INA –OUT AIN –
–OUTFILT
•

LTC2255
0.1mF LT1993-2 82nH 52.3pF
ADC
+OUTFILT 12.1W
+INB +OUT AIN +
MINI-CIRCUITS VEE
TCM4-19 +INA V
OCM fSAMPLE = 96.12MHz
SET VOCM FOR OPTIMAL
ENABLE
ADC PERFORMANCE DN366 F03

+
–

Figure 3. The LT1993-2 Driving an LTC2255 ADC Sampling at 96.12Msps with a 70MHz,
4-Channel WCDMA Signal. The Simple LC Output Network Provides Out-of-Band Filtering

Data Sheet Download

http://www.linear.com For applications help,
call (408) 432-1900, Ext. 2156

dn366f LT/TP 0605 409K • PRINTED IN THE USA

Linear Technology Corporation
1630 McCarthy Blvd., Milpitas, CA 95035-7417
(408) 432-1900 ●
FAX: (408) 434-0507 ● www.linear.com © LINEAR TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION 2005