LAB2 Mixer Tutorial
LAB2 Mixer Tutorial
Date: ________
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Notes:
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(The mixer tutorial and assignment at the end of tutorial is optional)
LAB-2 (Tutorial)
Gilbert Mixer Simulation
(Cadence SpectreRF)
Prepared By
Rashad.M.Ramzan
rashad@isy.liu.se
Receiver Front-end
LO
RF Image
LNA
Filter Filter
Mixer
50Ω
1. Power Consumption
2. RF to IF Conversion Gain
3. Noise and NF
4. Input and Output Impedance Matching
5. LO to RF and LO to IF Isolation
6. Linearity
The analyses listed below are used to characterize the mixer for the above mentioned
parameters:
1. Conversion Gain
• Voltage Conversion Gain Versus LO Signal Power (Swept PSS with PAC)
• Voltage Conversion Gain Versus RF Frequency (PSS and Swept PAC)
• Voltage Conversion Gain Versus RF Frequency (PSS and Swept PXF)
• Power Conversion Gain Versus RF Frequency (QPSS)
2. Port-to-Port Isolation Among RF, IF and LO Ports (PSS and Swept PAC)
3. Power Dissipation (QPSS)
4. S-Parameters (PSS and PSP)
5. Total Noise and NF, SSB and DSB Noise Figures (PSS and Pnoise)
6. Intermodulation Distortion and Intercept Points (PSS and Swept PSS)
7. Mixer Performance with a Blocking Signal (QPSS, QPAC, and QPnoise)
Instructions
• You can complete this tutorial in your own time, if there is any problem please send
an email or show up in the office of the TA. You must answer the questions in the
LAB compendium before you start the tutorial, this will help you to comprehend
the tutorial material and simulations.
Cadence Setup and Guidelines
Please read the “Cadence Setup and Guidelines” section LNA Tutorial.
1. Background Preparation
Please answer the following questions before the LAB. For answers look at the lecture
notes and text books for this course.
• List the major categories (Active/Passive, single/double balanced) of the mixers, one
advantage and disadvantage of each type?
• How can we relate the blocker strength (both in case of in band and out of band
blockers) allowed in certain standard with LO leakage?
• Why can we not use AC and SP analysis for Mixer circuits, why are periodic and quasi
periodic types of analysis mandatory to simulate these circuits?
• Passive mixers have better IP3 but they have conversion loss rather than gain and hence
degraded NF. Gilbert Mixer is double balanced active mixer with differential topology.
Please comment about the isolation, gain, NF and IP3 characteristic of Gilbert Mixer
compared to passive mixers. Why is higher LO strength needed for a Gilbert mixer?
• Define the SSB and DSB Noise Figure of a mixer? In case of Zero-IF architecture
which type of NF should be simulated and measured?
RF-IF:
LO-IF:
• Why are even order distortions “fatal” for ZeroIF receiver designs and are ignorable for
superheterodyne receivers? Is differential LNA and Mixer a remedy to this problem?
Fig 4: Voltage Conversion Gain versus RF frequency using PAC and PXF
c) Voltage Conversion Gain versus RF Frequency (PSS with swept PXF)
• Test Bench Parameters same as part a)
• In Design variables
Change plo = 5
• Now at the top of choosing Analysis window
• The Choose Analysis window shows up
Select PSS for Analysis
Uncheck the Auto Calculate Box
Set fundamental tone (press update from schematic button) , it
should look like
flo flo 2.4G Large PORT2
Beat Frequency 2.4G
Output Harmonics 10, Accuracy Default Moderate
Sweep option off, Enable and apply
• Now at the top of choosing Analysis window
Select PXF for Analysis
Frequency Range 1KHz to 10MHz
Sideband Max Sideband 2
Sweep Type automatic, Output voltage
Positive output node mixout (from schematic)
Negative output node gnd (from schematic)
Enable and apply
• In the affirma window click on Simulation Netlist and Run to start the
simulation, make sure that simulation completes without errors.
However, in some applications (direct conversion receivers) the signal present at the image
frequency contains useful information, and hence the NFDSB is measured and calculated.
• In schematic
RF port dc (prf, frf , pcmag are meaning less)
LO port sine (flo,flo,plo)
• Verify the variable values in the affirma window
flo = 2.4 GHz , plo= 5
• Now at the top of choosing Analysis window
• The Choose Analysis window shows up
Select PSS for Analysis
Uncheck the Auto Calculate Box
Set fundamental tone flo flo 2.4GHz (press update from
schematic button)
Beat Frequency 2.4G
Output Harmonics 10
Accuracy Default Moderate
Sweep variable
Variable name plo
Sweep Range -10dBm to 20dBm
Sweep Type Linear
No of steps 10 , Enable and apply
• The Choose Analysis window shows up
Select Pnoise for Analysis
Sweep type absolute
Start-stop 10M (noise is calculated at this frequency, the1/f
noise effect will not present, to see that make this frequency 10K
or 1K)
Maximum side band 10
Output voltage select mixout and gnd
Input source port select RF port
2.9. Effect of the Blocker on Gain and NF of Mixer (QPSS, QPAC and QPnoise)
In band and out of band blockers are specified for all standards (GSM, DECT etc) as
discussed in class lectures. These blocker desensitize the receiver i.e. the gain and NF of
the receiver for desired signal is drastically degraded. All communication standards
include the blocking requirement for both mobile terminals and base stations. The
requirement defines several in-band and out-of-band blockers.
• Change/Check the LO Port Parameters in Schematic Window
LO port sine (flo,flo,plo)
IF port DC and 50 Ohms
. .
Assignment: Modified Gilbert Mixer with Improved
Performance
Improve the NF, Gain by 2dB and IP3 by 3dB. To achieve this goal you can use the
same circuit used in this tutorial and burn more power. Alternately to save the power you
can apply any of the advance technique for gain and linearity enhancement discussed in the
class lecture.
Please, report your result in a form of the table as shown below. Please, describe very
briefly how you modified the circuit to meet the specifications and problems encountered
during simulations.