Analog Devices (ADI) has introduced a mixed-signal front-end (MxFE) RF data converter platform designed to meet the performance needs for a range of wireless equipment such as 4G LTE and 5G millimeter-wave (mmWave) radios. ADI’s AD9081/2 MxFE platform allows system developers to install multiband radios in the same footprint as single-band radios, which as much as triples call capacity available in today’s 4G LTE base stations. With a 1.2 GHz channel bandwidth, the new MxFE platform also enables wireless carriers that are adding more antennas to their cell towers to meet the higher radio density and data-rate requirements of emerging mmWave 5G.
The AD9081 and AD9082 MxFE devices integrate eight and six RF data converters, respectively, which are manufactured using 28 nm CMOS process technology. Both MxFE options achieve wide instantaneous signal bandwidth (up to 2.4 GHz), which simplifies hardware design by reducing the number of frequency translation stages and relaxing filter requirements.
