“Industry's first” production-ready, single-chip, 2.3GHz to 2.7GHz, WiMAX MIMO RF transceiver improves receiver SNR by 10dB
(Technology News, 07 May 2008 )
Maxim Integrated Products has introduced the MAX2839, said to be the industry's first single-chip, 2.3GHz to 2.7GHz, WiMAX MIMO RF transceiver in high-volume production. This 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. Currently shipping in volume to customers worldwide, 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 the industry's lowest noise figure at 2.3dB, -81dBm sensitivity for a 64-QAM signal at 5MHz channel bandwidth, and a 95dB gain control range 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 MAX2839 operates from a 2.7V to 3.6V supply. A low-power shutdown mode reduces current consumption to 10 microamps to save power in system-sleep/standby mode. This transceiver is available in a small, 8mm x 8mm, leadless, 56-pin TQFN package. Pricing starts at $9.31 (1000-up, FOB USA). An evaluation kit is available to speed designs. Contact the factory for the radio reference design or the complete RF and MAC/baseband reference design.
