Analog Devices’ Wideband RF Synthesizers Feature System Size Reduction, Design Versatility, and Excellent Performance to 13.6 GHz

Analog Devices, Inc. today announced the ADF5356, a 13.6 GHz next-generation wideband synthesizer with integrated voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) which targets applications such as wireless infrastructure, microwave point-to-point links, electronic test and measurement, and satellite terminals. A complimentary synthesizer product, the ADF4356, operates to 6.8 GHz and is comparable in performance.

The ADF5356 generates RF outputs from 53.125 MHz to 13.6 GHz without any gaps in frequency coverage, which allows the device to be used as a multiband synthesizer, thus eliminating the need for multiple band-specific VCOs/synthesizers products and thereby reducing component count, board space, and power. The wideband range is achieved without compromising performance, since the ADF5356 offers superior PLL figures of merit (FOM), ultra-low VCO phase noise, very low integer-boundary and phase-detector spurs, and high phase-comparison frequency.

Developed on ADI’s proprietary advanced SiGe BiCMOS process, the ADF5356 and ADF4356 feature industry leading VCO phase noise (-113 dBc/Hz @ 100 kHz offset at 5 GHz) with integrated rms jitter of just 97 fsec (1 kHz to 20 MHz) and integer-channel noise floor of -227 dBc/Hz. The phase detector spurious levels are below -85 dBc typical, and the phase detector comparison frequency can be as high as 125 MHz.

These RF synthesizers are easy to design-in, and fully supported by the ADIsimPLL, Analog Devices’ comprehensive and easy to use PLL synthesizer design and simulation tool for assessing phase noise, lock time, jitter and other design considerations. To provide an upgrade path for designers, the synthesizers are pin-compatible with Analog Devices’ existing ADF5355 and ADF4355 devices.

The ADF5356 and ADF4356 are specified over the -40°C to +85°C range. They operate from nominal 3.3-V analog and digital power supplies as well as 5-V charge-pump and VCO supplies, and feature 1.8-V logic-level compatibility.