Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H03—ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY
  • H03D—DEMODULATION OR TRANSFERENCE OF MODULATION FROM ONE CARRIER TO ANOTHER
  • H03D9/00—Demodulation or transference of modulation of modulated electromagnetic waves
  • H03D9/06—Transference of modulation using distributed inductance and capacitance
  • H03D9/0658—Transference of modulation using distributed inductance and capacitance by means of semiconductor devices having more than two electrodes
  • H03D9/0675—Transference of modulation using distributed inductance and capacitance by means of semiconductor devices having more than two electrodes using field effect transistors
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H03—ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY
  • H03D—DEMODULATION OR TRANSFERENCE OF MODULATION FROM ONE CARRIER TO ANOTHER
  • H03D2200/00—Indexing scheme relating to details of demodulation or transference of modulation from one carrier to another covered by H03D
  • H03D2200/0001—Circuit elements of demodulators
  • H03D2200/0023—Balun circuits
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H03—ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY
  • H03D—DEMODULATION OR TRANSFERENCE OF MODULATION FROM ONE CARRIER TO ANOTHER
  • H03D2200/00—Indexing scheme relating to details of demodulation or transference of modulation from one carrier to another covered by H03D
  • H03D2200/0041—Functional aspects of demodulators
  • H03D2200/0043—Bias and operating point
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H03—ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY
  • H03D—DEMODULATION OR TRANSFERENCE OF MODULATION FROM ONE CARRIER TO ANOTHER
  • H03D2200/00—Indexing scheme relating to details of demodulation or transference of modulation from one carrier to another covered by H03D
  • H03D2200/0041—Functional aspects of demodulators
  • H03D2200/0066—Mixing
  • H03D2200/0074—Mixing using a resistive mixer or a passive mixer
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H03—ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY
  • H03D—DEMODULATION OR TRANSFERENCE OF MODULATION FROM ONE CARRIER TO ANOTHER
  • H03D7/00—Transference of modulation from one carrier to another, e.g. frequency-changing
  • H03D7/12—Transference of modulation from one carrier to another, e.g. frequency-changing by means of semiconductor devices having more than two electrodes
  • H03D7/125—Transference of modulation from one carrier to another, e.g. frequency-changing by means of semiconductor devices having more than two electrodes with field effect transistors
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H03—ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY
  • H03D—DEMODULATION OR TRANSFERENCE OF MODULATION FROM ONE CARRIER TO ANOTHER
  • H03D7/00—Transference of modulation from one carrier to another, e.g. frequency-changing
  • H03D7/14—Balanced arrangements

Definitions

• the field of the invention is that of high frequency signal mixers. More specifically, the present invention relates to a compact double equilibrium quad quad mixer of cold TECs achievable in particular in MMIC (Microwave Monolithic Integrated Circuit) technology.
• MMIC Microwave Monolithic Integrated Circuit
• a mixer has traditionally had the function of converting the frequency of an input signal, for example a received RF radio frequency signal, into an output signal, for example an IF intermediate frequency signal, by means of a local oscillator signal LO
• Fp the frequency of the signal FI
• FRP - F [_Q the frequency of the signal RF
• F [_Q the frequency of the signal LO
• balanced mixers comprising 180 ° couplers on the input ports ( RF) and output (FI) allowing a combination in phase opposition of a certain number of parasitic frequencies
• FIG. 1 represents a quad of doubly balanced cold TECs intended for use in a mixer
• the quad in Figure 1 generally referenced by 10, has four cold TECs 1 1 to 14 forming a balanced bridge Continuous polarization voltages Vgs1 and Vgs2, possibly identical, are applied to the grids of TECs 1 1 to 14
• the quad 10 is intended to mix an RF radio frequency signal with a local oscillator signal OL to provide an intermediate frequency signal FI More specifically, six ports are provided two first input ports 15 and 16 to which an RF signal must be applied and the same 180 ° phase shifted signal (rf), two second input ports 17 and 18 to which the local oscillator signal OL and its OL complement must be applied, and two output ports 19 and 20 providing two signals fi and fi
• the signals rf and rf come from a 180 ° coupler not shown to which the RF input signal is applied and the fi and fi signals are intended to be combined, also by a coupler not re presented, to provide an FI output signal
• a network of impedance adaptation to 50 ⁇ is inserted between ports 15 and 16 and the input couple
• the TECs 1 1 to 14 operate as switches, that is to say that their drain / source resistors have either a few ⁇ (on state) or a few k ⁇ (blocked state), depending on the signals OL and OL.
• 180 ° couplers can be produced in several forms.
• a first embodiment consists in using hybrid rings (also called “Rat-Race”) as described in American patent n ° 4 603 436
• a hybrid ring is a micro line. ribbon with a circumference of 1.5 ⁇ , with ⁇ the wavelength of the signal considered, the outputs of which are distributed in steps of ⁇ / 4
• a second embodiment consists in using "balun" circuits which also employ lines coupled of length ⁇ / 4
• a mixer employing a balun circuit is for example described in American patent n ° 5 142.697
• a third solution is to use, in coplanar technology, transitions coplanar line / slotted line which also require circuits openings of homogeneous dimensions at ⁇ / 4
• the present invention aims in particular to remedy these drawbacks.
• one of the objectives of the invention is to provide a doubly balanced quad mixer of cold TECs, this mixer comprising 180 ° couplers for the input / output accesses of the quad (RF and FI) and having a reduced footprint by compared to prior art mixers
• This objective is achieved by means of a doubly balanced quad mixer of cold TECs, of the type comprising 180 ° couplers for the input accesses / output from the quad, this mixer being characterized in that the couplers are 3-line ⁇ / 16 couplers directly coupled to the quad.
• the grid developments of the TECs and the grid polarizations are optimized so that the impedance presented by the quad is equal to the complex impedance combined with that presented by the couplers.
• a signal of frequency greater than 1 GHz is applied to the coupler connected to the input ports of the quad and, likewise, a signal of frequency greater than 1 GHz comes from the coupler connected to the output ports of the quad.
• the mixer according to the invention is advantageously produced in MMIC technology to operate in the KU band.
• FIG. 1 represents a quad of cold TECs doubly balanced for use in a blender
• FIG. 2 represents a doubly balanced quad mixer of cold TECs according to the invention, this mixer being produced in MMIC technology
• FIG. 3 represents a coupler in ⁇ / 16 with 3 coupled lines as used in the mixer of FIG. 2.
• FIG. 1 has been described previously with reference to the state of the art.
• FIG. 2 represents a doubly balanced quad quad mixer of cold TECs according to the invention, this mixer being produced in MMIC technology.
• the invention proposes to use couplers at 180 ° in ⁇ / 16 and with 3 lines directly coupled to the quad cascades, to obtain on the one hand the rf and rf signals from the RF signal, and on the other hand part to obtain the IF signal from the fi and fi signals.
• couplers is shown in Figure 3.
• the coupler of FIG. 3, referenced 29, has a length equal to ⁇ / 16, with ⁇ the wavelength of a signal applied to an input referenced 30.
• Two outputs 31 and 32 respectively supply the signal applied to the input 30 attenuated and the latter signal in phase opposition. Applying an E signal to the input
• the coupler 29 is entirely symmetrical, that is to say that the application of signals on ports 31 and 32 provides an output signal on l 'access 30.
• the coupler 29 has 3 parallel lines 33, 34 and 35 coupled together as follows: the access 30 is connected to the lower end of the central line 34, its upper end being connected to ground by a pad 36 (metallized hole).
• the lower end of line 33 is connected to ground by a pad 37 and its upper end to the access 32 and the upper end of the line 35 is connected to the pad 36, the lower end constituting the access 31 .
• two couplers of this type are used respectively, one to generate the rf and rf signals from the RF input signal, the other to generate the output signal FI from fi and fi signals from quad 10
• the coupler 21 is smaller than the coupler 22 because the RF signal has a frequency higher than the IF signal (Fp
• Fp> p - FQL)
• the inventor has demonstrated excellent compatibility of the impedances between a quad of cold TECs and couplers in ⁇ / 16 to 3 coupled lines
• the grid developments of the TECs 1 1 to 14 and the polarizations of the grids Vgs1 and Vgs2 of these TECs are then optimized to obtain a perfect match of the impedances
• the impedance presented by the quad is equal to the complex impedance combined with that presented by couplers 21 and 22 and these elements can be directly cascaded
• capacitors 23 to 26 are advantageously provided near the ports 15, 16 and 19, 20 of the quad 10. These capacitors 23 to 26 also make it possible to cut the continuous polarization applied to the grids of the cold TECs.
• the invention makes it possible to obtain a gain in bulk by a factor of 5.4 in the KU band compared to a quad mixer of cold TECs using couplers in ⁇ / 4
• the invention is achievable in AsGa or Si technology, not limitatively
• a mixer according to the invention also lends itself particularly to an embodiment in hybrid technology because of the small space presented.
• the invention applies to the mixture of all RF and FI signals having a frequency greater than 1 GHz and in particular to operation in the KU band (10 to 15 GHz)

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• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Electromagnetism (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Power Engineering (AREA)
• Superheterodyne Receivers (AREA)
• Amplifiers (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=9506582

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (5)

Families Citing this family (3)

Family Cites Families (3)

• 1997
  • 1997-05-05 FR FR9705509A patent/FR2762942B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 1998
  • 1998-05-04 JP JP10547781A patent/JP2000514988A/ja not_active Ceased
  • 1998-05-04 EP EP98924369A patent/EP0943176A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 1998-05-04 CA CA 2259262 patent/CA2259262A1/fr not_active Abandoned
  • 1998-05-04 WO PCT/FR1998/000891 patent/WO1998051004A1/fr not_active Application Discontinuation

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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