Product category: Communications ICs (Wireless)
News Release from: Maxim Integrated Products | Subject: MAX2016
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial Team on 23 November 2004
Single-chip solution for RF power
measurement
The MAX2016 is billed as the world's most precise monolithic solution for low-frequency-to-2.5GHz VSWR, gain and power measurements.
The MAX2016 is billed as the world's most precise monolithic solution for low-frequency-to-2.5GHz VSWR, gain and power measurements Designers can configure the MAX2016 as a simple RF-power detector and comparator, or as a complete closed-loop gain and power controller
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 27 Aug 2002 at 8.00am (UK)
Related stories
Speedy DAC claims dynamic superiority for comms
The MAX5195 is a 14bit 260Msample/s DAC claimed to provide the world's best dynamic performance in spurious-free dynamic range, intermodulation distortion and signal to noise ratio.
Low-power serial ADC runs up to 200Ksample/s
New from Maxim Integrated Products, the MAX1162 serial-interface 16bit A/D convertor connects directly to SPI, QSPI and Microwire devices without additional interface logic.
The outstanding combination of precision, channel-to-channel isolation, and dynamic range makes this SiGe IC particularly useful in a variety of wireless applications, including dual-channel RF-power measurements, gain/loss detection, VSWR monitoring, load integrity detection and automatic gain control.
The MAX2016 uses a pair of temperature-tracking logarithmic amplifiers to detect and compare the power levels of two RF input signals.
The device internally subtracts one power level from the other to provide a DC-output voltage that is proportional to the power difference (ie gain).
Further reading
Power amp shrinks for compact wireless networking
According to Maxim Integrated Products, the MAX2247 is the industry's smallest silicon germanium linear power amplifier for 2.4GHz WLAN applications.
Touch-screen controllers feature ESD protection
The MAX1233 and MAX1234 are programmable four-wire touch-screen controllers.
The MAX2016 can also measure the return loss/VSWR of an RF signal by monitoring the incident and reflected power levels associated with any given load.
A window detector is easily implemented by using the on-chip comparators, OR gate and 2V reference.
This combination of circuitry provides an automatic indication of when the measured gain is outside a programmable range.
Alarm monitoring can thus be implemented for detecting high-VSWR states, such as open or shorted loads.
As an added feature, the MAX2016 can also be employed as a fully integrated C loop controller.
Built-in circuitry allows the device to detect and maintain either gain or power within a closed-loop system.
Comparable functionality in discrete form would require twice the component count and over three times more board space.
While maintaining log conformance of +/-3dB over temperature, each detector on the MAX2016 can provide dynamic ranges of 80, 67, 64 and 52dB at 900, 1900, 2170 and 2500MHz, respectively.
The cornerstone, however, to the MAX2016's outstanding performance is the superior performance of its on-chip, RF comparator circuitry.
At 900MHz, the comparator output delivers 70dB of dynamic range with +/-1dB of precision over -20 to +85C.
Measurements at 1900, 2170 and 2500MHz are equally impressive with dynamic ranges of 55, 50 and 45dB, respectively, over the same precision and temperature constraints.
This is due, in part, to the MAX2016's excellent channel-to-channel isolation.
Typical isolation values range from 90dB for the cellular band, 65dB for the PCS band and 55dB for WLAN applications.
The resulting performance greatly enhances the accuracy and range of any RF-power measurement.
The MAX2016 comes in a compact 5 x 5mm, 28-pin thin QFN.
Lead-free packaging is also available.
Prices start at $9.85 (1000-up, FOB USA).
• Maxim Integrated Products: contact details and other news
• Email this article to a colleague
• Register for the free Electronicstalk email newsletter
• Electronicstalk Home Page
