Importance

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Abstract

An image reject mixer arrangement 1 comprises a transconductor 2, first and second mixer cores 3 and 4, first and second phase shifters 5 and 6 and a summer or combiner 7. The mixer arrangement 1 receives a single-ended RF voltage signal on a terminal 8, a differential local oscillator signal on I-LO terminals indicated at 9 and a 90.degree. phase shifted differential local oscillator signal on Q-LO terminals 10, and provides differential IF output signals on output terminals 11. From the output of the transconductor 2 to the output of the combiner 7, the image reject mixer arrangement 1 carries signals in what can be described as a 'current mode', i.e. it is the current, not the voltage, which conveys the desired signal. In this current mode, it is advantageous to provide each active circuit block with a high output impedance and a low input impedance wherever possible. This is achieved by the cascode connection of the transistors of the transconductor 2 with the transistors of the mixer cores 3 and 4; and the cascode connection of the transistors of the of the mixer cores 3 and 4 with the transistors of the combiner 7. This is advantageous in providing improved noise performance, linearity and current consumption in comparison with cascade connected mixer arrangement circuit blocks.

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