RF Transceiver Improves Receiver SNR by 10dB

(Product News, 15 May 2008)

Maxim Integrated Products has launched MAX2839, said to be the industry's first single-chip, 2.3GHz to 2.7GHz WiMAX MIMO RF transceiver in high-volume production. The device uses a dual-receiver architecture to mitigate RF channel fading, thereby increasing the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) by as much as 10dB compared to a single-receiver architecture. This improved performance maximizes the data throughput and radio-link range of nomadic and mobile WiMAX subscriber applications in notebook computers, express/PC cards, smartphones, and in-home desktop CPE modems. The MAX2839 is ideal for mobile WiMAX, Korean WiBro, and other OFDM-based wireless broadband systems.

Designed using Maxim's in-house, high-performance SiGe BiCMOS process, the MAX2839 provides the industry's best receiver noise performance. Both of the two receivers feature noise figure of 2.3dB; sensitivity of -81dBm for a 64-QAM signal at 5MHz channel bandwidth; and gain control range of 95dB that is digitally controlled in 1dB steps. Factory calibrated to achieve better than -35dB EVM, -45dBc of sideband suppression, and carrier leakage of -40dBc without DC-offset correction, the receivers significantly simplify integration with the digital MAC/baseband IC.

On the transmitter, the MAX2839 features a 62dB gain control range, digitally controlled in 1dB steps. It delivers a 0dBm linear output with a 64-QAM signal, greater than -45dBc of sideband suppression, and more than -36dB EVM, while meeting a -70dBr spectral mask.

The 8x8mm MAX2839 operates from a 2.7V to 3.6V supply.

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