RF Electronics Chapter 5: Frequency Mixers Page 152
2022, C. J. Kikkert, James Cook University, ISBN 978-0-6486803-9-0.
Figure 5.66. Conversion gain of microwave balanced mixer up-converters.
Figure 5.66 shows the conversion loss of the mixer and compares that with the
transformer based balanced mixer of figure 5.25 and the transmission line balanced mixer
of figure 5.53, used for up-conversion at the fame frequencies. The Branchline balanced
mixer has 1 dB more conversion loss. Requiring the extra transmission line (TL12 in
figure 5.65), makes the Branchline balanced mixer uncompetitive for up-conversion.
Figure 5.67. RF spectrum of a Branchline coupler balanced mixer up-converter.
Figure 5.67 shows the RF spectrum of a Branchline coupler balanced mixer up-converter.
The spectrum of the transmission line balanced mixer of figure 5.53, when used as an up-
converter is similar.
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