Performance Comparison of UWB Single Balanced Schottky Diode Mixers for RF Front-End Applications in 3-10 GHz Band

Authors

  • Noor Azwan Shairi Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka
  • Yahya Al-gumaei Mohammed Deakin University
  • Zahriladha Zakaria Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka
  • Maizatul Alice Meor Said Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka
  • Mohamad Harris Misran Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka
  • Zaghir Zobilah Abdullah Mohammed Électronique et Télécommunications Institut National des Sciences

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.26877/jsy73y58

Keywords:

Coupled Line Balun, Branch Line Balun, UWB Mixer Circuit Designs, RF Mixer

Abstract

This paper compares two single balanced mixer designs for ultra-wideband  (UWB) of RF front-end at frequencies ranging from 3 to 10 GHz. The proposed mixer designs use two balun topologies for varying mixer performances. Thus, Design 1 incorporates a Coupled Line Balun and Design 2 incorporates a Branch Line Balun. Both designs make use of Skyworks' SMS7621 Schottky diodes, which have a low junction capacitance, and the Rogers RO4350B substrate, which has a dielectric constant of 3.48. The Coupled Line Balun (Design 1) offers a total length of 88 mm, whereas the Branch Line Balun (Design 2) creates a more compact structure with 48 mm. This paper's thorough analysis and measurements show each design's benefits and drawbacks in terms of circuit size and performance. The simulations and measurement results of both designs generally showed a conversion loss of less than 20 dB and LO-RF isolation of better than 50 dB.

Author Biographies

  • Noor Azwan Shairi, Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka

    Centre for Telecommunication Research and Innovation (CeTRI), Fakulti Teknologi dan Kejuruteraan Elektronik dan Komputer (FTKEK), Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM), Melaka, Malaysia.

  • Yahya Al-gumaei Mohammed , Deakin University

    Institute for Intelligent Systems Research and Innovation, Deakin University, Australia.

  • Zahriladha Zakaria, Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka

    Centre for Telecommunication Research and Innovation (CeTRI), Fakulti Teknologi dan Kejuruteraan Elektronik dan Komputer (FTKEK), Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM), Melaka, Malaysia.

  • Maizatul Alice Meor Said, Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka

    Centre for Telecommunication Research and Innovation (CeTRI), Fakulti Teknologi dan Kejuruteraan Elektronik dan Komputer (FTKEK), Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM), Melaka, Malaysia.

  • Mohamad Harris Misran, Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka

    Centre for Telecommunication Research and Innovation (CeTRI), Fakulti Teknologi dan Kejuruteraan Elektronik dan Komputer (FTKEK), Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM), Melaka, Malaysia.

  • Zaghir Zobilah Abdullah Mohammed, Électronique et Télécommunications Institut National des Sciences

    Électronique et Télécommunications Institut National des Sciences, Rennes, France

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Published

2025-04-30

Issue

Vol. 7 No. 2 (2025): February-April

Section

Articles