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RF Electronics Chapter 5: Frequency Mixers Page 168 2022, C. J. Kikkert, James Cook University, ISBN 978-0-6486803-9-0. Figure 5.97. Analog Devices HMC1113LP5E [22]. For Satellite receivers, a low noise amplifier (LNA) and an IQ mixer are often combined in one IC [21]. Figure 5.97 shows this in the block diagram of a HMC1113LP5E MMIC IQ Mixer down-converter [22]. It has a typical noise figure of 1.8 dB an image rejection of 25 dB and a conversion gain of 12 dB over the 10 to 16 GHz RF input frequency range. Having RF image/sideband rejection minimises the noise due to the image band. For higher RF frequencies, a frequency multiplier is included to ease the LO requirements. MMIC's are also available for up-converters [19]. LTCC Mixers At higher frequencies, the magnetic losses of ferrites increase and it becomes more difficult to wind the transformers required for the mixers. Low Temperature Cofired Ceramic (LTCC) thick film technology, allows a circuit to be made up from multiple layers of ceramic materials. By depositing conductive or magnetic inks, on a set of thin ceramic layers and then fusing those layers, coupled transmission lines can be produced [23]. Typically [24], the schematic for these transformers looks and performs like the Marchand Balun of figure 5.69, but without the Z outer transmission line. These transformers can then be used to result in a DBM as shown in figure 5.68. Since transmission lines are used to produce a transformer/Balun, this technique is most suited to microwave LO and RF frequencies. The diodes can be attached externally, as shown in left and centre images in figure 5.98, or they can be hermetically sealed as shown in the right image of figure 5.98. Because high dielectric constant materials are used, the resulting package can be made small. Since the process can be automated, lower production costs result. Typical examples of LTCC mixers are: 1) MBA-18LH+ DBM [25]. This DBM requires a +10 dBm LO signal and has a LO/RF frequency range of 1.6 GHz to 3.2 GHz with a conversion loss of 5.8 dB. The device package is 6.35x7.62 mm and is shown on the left of figure 5.98. 2) SIM-43+ DBM [26]. This DBM requires a +7 dBm LO signal and has a LO/RF frequency range of 750 MHz to 4.2 GHz with a conversion loss of less than 6.3 dB. The RF Electronics: Design and Simulation 168 www.cadence.com/go/awr