Problem Solving To Make RF And Mixed Signal Components Speak The Same Language

By Eamon Nash, Applications Engineering Manager, RF Products Group, Analog Devices, Inc.

When a designer tries to add ADCs and DACs — and other some other components such as ADC drivers, IQ Modulators and IQ Demodulators — into an RF signal chain calculation, the non-50-Ohm impedances and the voltage-centric specs of the mixed signal components can make the task quite challenging. But when facing this problem, a designer can discover the task can be simplified using a tool such as ADIsimRF software. 

One of the challenges of modern RF Level Planning is that the specifications of mixed-signal devices such as ADCs and DACs do not easily fit into the standard RF equations for calculating cascaded performance.