Mixer is a 3 port device used for Frequency translation

Convert RF frequency to a lower IF or base band for easy signal processing in receivers Convert base band signal or IF frequency to a higher IF or RF frequency for efficient transmission in transmitters Application Receiver Downconversion Demodulation of SC SSB or SC DSB AGC Transmitter Upconversion Modulation : Amplitude, Phase

Mixer is of two types Passive Mixer Active Mixer

If

x(t ) A cos 1t y (t ) B cos 2t

x(t)

x(t)y(t)

y(t) Then the output is

AB AB A cos 1t B cos 2t cos(1 2 )t cos(1 2 )t 2 2

Downconverter upconverter

Important Properties of Mixer

Conversion gain lowers noise impact of following stages Noise Figure impacts receiver sensitivity Port isolation want to minimize interaction between the RF, IF, and LO ports Linearity (IIP3) impacts receiver blocking performance High order Spurious response rejection Image noise suppression Power match want max voltage gain rather than power match for integrated designs Power want low power dissipation Sensitivity to process/temp variations need to make it manufacturable in high volume

Conversion gain or loss is the ratio of the desired IF output (voltage or power) to the RF input signal value ( voltage or power). Conversion loss or gain is dependent on type of mixer(Active and passive), is dependent by the load of the input RF circuit as well as the output impedance at IF port, and is also dependent by the level of the LO. Typical conversion gain of active mixer is +10dB, when the conversion loss of passive mixer is dB. Conversion loss decreases by increasing the LO power level.

r.m.s. voltage of the IF signal Voltage Conversion Gain r.m.s. voltage of the RF signal

Output IF power delivered to the load Power Conversion Gain RF nput Power

Image

Two inputs (RF & Image) will mix to the same output (IF)frequency. Even in an ideal multiplier, there are two RF input frequencies (FRF and FIM) whose second-order product has the same difference IF frequency. FRF - FLO = FLO - FIM = FIF The two results are equally valid. One is generally referred to as the imageand is undesired. Image can be removed by image preselection filter or by image rejection filter.

Noise Figure
Noise Figure is a measure of the noise added by the Mixer itself, noise as it gets converted to the IF output. It is the ratio of Input Signal to noise ratio to the Output signal to noise ratio. = /t Signal to Noise ratio For a passive Mixer which has no gain and only loss, the Noise Figure is almost equal with the insertion loss. In a mixer noise is replicated and translated by each harmonic of the LO that is referred to as Noise Folding. A Mixer will convert energy in the upper or lower sidebands with equal efficiency. Consequently the noise in the side band with no signal will be added to the IF output, which will increase the Noise Figure at the IF port by 3dB, no matter how good the preceding component noise figure is.