A 2 GHz enhancement mode GaAs down converter IC for satellite TV tuner

A fully integrated 2 GHz down-converter IC has been designed and fabricated for satellite TV application using an enhancement mode GaAs foundry process. Its internal oscillator covers a 1.2 GHz bandwidth that makes it possible to receive the extended satellite TV band from 950 MHz to 2 GHz. The LO (local oscillator) power leakage is greatly reduced as compared to a discrete circuit: it is about -40 dBm at the RF input and less than -30 dBm at the IF (intermediate frequency) output. This IC operates under a single 5 V supply voltage and its performance is an outstanding trade-off between noise, linearity, power consumption, and simplicity of implementation. It is encapsulated in a standard low-cost plastic package.<<ETX>>