Superheterodyne Receivers - Microwave Encyclopedia - Microwaves101.

com

Superheterodyne receivers
Updated March 5, 2006 Click here to go to our main page on microwave receivers Click here to go to our main page on mixers Click here to go to our page on noise figure Click here to go to our page on low noise amplifiers New for March 2006! A superheterodyne receiver contains a combination of amplification with frequency mixing, and is by far the most popular architecture for a microwave receiver. To heterodyne means to mix two signals of different frequencies together, resulting in a "beat" frequency. Actually, two signals are always created, the sum frequency and the difference frequency. These are referred to as the two sidebands. The sum frequency is the upper sideband, and the difference frequency is the difference sideband. In most microwave receivers, the upper sideband is ignored. The word "superheterodyne" is often hyphenated to "super-heterodyne". A common contraction of the word is simply "superhet". Here's a clickable index to our super material on superhet! History of the superheterodyne receiver Common components in a superhet receiver Selected topics on superhet receivers

History of the superheterodyne receiver

The superheterodyne receiver is still the most popular microwave receiver, and it was invented more than eighty-five years ago (patented in 1918). Edwin Armstrong (see him in our Hall of Fame) was truly one of the great minds of the twentieth century. Unfortunately, he had a bad habit of inventing stuff independently of the corporate anti-Christ of the time, which was RCA (Radio Corporation of America); RCA and others pretty much ruined Armstrong's life. From this perspective, nothing's
http://www.microwaves101.com/encyclopedia/receivers_superhet.cfm (1 of 5)06/08/2009 12:43:46 .

Superheterodyne Receivers - Microwave Encyclopedia - Microwaves101.com

changed, big companies ruin many engineers' lives today, especially in arguments over inventions. As an engineer you'd best remember your place at the bottom of the corporate food-chain or you'll be living in a cardboard house behind the Circle K pretty soon. Don't ever think your services are as valuable as the work of more deserving corporate lawyers! But we digress.... Prior to the superhet receiver, radio listeners had to constantly play with a set of knobs on a radio to keep locked on to radio programs of the day. Prior attempts at amplifying radio signals included the regenerative and super-regenerative receivers (both invented by Armstrong, but stolen by greedy RCA), which at least offered some gain to boost far-away signals, but were prone to drift. The superhet solved this problem for all time by using frequency conversion that was controlled by a local oscillator. By tuning the LO frequency, the RF frequency that you received was thereby tuned. It turns out it is much easier to control the LO frequency and filter out unwanted channels at IF, rather than try to filter out unwanted channels at the RF input. This characteristic is known as receiver selectivity. To learn more about the history of radio, go to our book page and click on the link to Empire of the Air.

Common components of a superheterodyne receiver

The block diagram below shows typical components of a superhet microwave receiver. The pre-LNA components all have a direct affect on noise figure, so low-loss is a key characteristic of these parts, because loss adds directly to noise figure. Often, waveguide components are used in front of the LNA because it offers the lowest loss available. Stuff after the LNA doesn't have such a drastic affect, but everything must be taken into account in maximizing dynamic range.

Preselector filter This component restricts the frequency band that is permitted to enter the receiver. Limiter (receiver protector) This component is what protects the LNA if a stray high-power signal makes its way into the RF input. This function can be accomplished by a passive or an active limiter. An active limiter, also known as a blanking switch, must be commanded somehow to protect the LNA. This is often the case of a colocated transmit/receive system such as a radar. A passive limiter doesn't need to be commanded, it
http://www.microwaves101.com/encyclopedia/receivers_superhet.cfm (2 of 5)06/08/2009 12:43:46 .

Superheterodyne Receivers - Microwave Encyclopedia - Microwaves101.com

automatically reduces the signal whenever it is hit with enough power. The power that leaks out of the receiver protection circuit must be specified and measured under both pulsed conditions (spike leakage) and CW condition (flat leakage). Switchable attenuator A pre-LNA switchable attenuator can be used to increase the dynamic range. When signals are strong enough to saturate the LNA, the attenuator can be switched in to reduce the signal strength to the LNA. Low noise amplifier Nothing is more critical to receiver performance than the LNA. This is the active component that increases the power of the received signal (it produces gain). The power handling of the LNA means how much power can it be hit with before it is permanently damaged. Typical MMIC LNAs can handle from 10 milliwatts to half a watt. The damage to an LNA is not necessarily catastrophic, only a small change in gain can result from overdriving it. The noise figure usually does not degrade by much unless the gain of the device is reduced by several dB. Designing an LNA for high-power use is called "hardening". Image rejection filter Used to reduce image noise foldover. Mixer The device that converts the incoming RF frequency to intermediate frequency is called a mixer. Clean-up filter The cleanup IF filter's purpose is to remove unwanted high frequency signals such as the RF and LO, which could cause additional distortion products when they pass through the IF amplifier. It is usually a low-pass filter (LPF), and could use low-cost lumped components (inductors and capacitors). Fixed pads You should always design a receiver with extra gain, then you can used attenuators here and there to "pad" out poor VSWRs. Places that are notorious for VSWR problems is the mixer/filter interfaces. IF amp This is where gain can be added to the receiver without high cost. At one GHz, gain can be purchased for less than 10 cents per decibel! LO amp The local oscillator signal must be stable (time-invariant) and maintained at a fixed or minimum power for the mixer to work properly. Often an amplifier stage is put in the LO path, and kept in compression to reduce variation in LO power coming from the exciter.

Advantages of superheterodyne receivers

The advantages of superheterodyne receiver are many. An obvious advantage is that by reducing to
http://www.microwaves101.com/encyclopedia/receivers_superhet.cfm (3 of 5)06/08/2009 12:43:46 .

Superheterodyne Receivers - Microwave Encyclopedia - Microwaves101.com

lower frequency, lower frequency components can be used, and in general, cost is proportional to frequency. RF gain at 40 GHz is expensive, IF gain at 1 GHz is cheap as dirt. The second advantage is in the superior sensitivity that we almost take for granted. Filtering out unwanted signals at IF is a much easier job than filtering them out at RF, because the desired bandwidth is much higher after the signal is mixed down. Further advantage in that many components can be designed for a fixed frequency (and even shared between different receiver designs), which is easier and cheaper than designing wideband components.

Selected topics on superheterdyne receivers

Single down-conversion versus double downconversion A receiver that has only one frequency conversion device (mixer) is said to be of singledownconversion variety. Quite often a high performance receiver has two downconversion steps. In this case we would label the frequencies RF, LO1, LO2, IF1, and IF2. There are advantages to the second downconversion approach. Having a higher IF1 frequency splits the RF and image frequencies far apart, which makes an easier task of preventing image noise foldover. For example, if your RF frequency was 10 GHz, and your IF was 3 MHz, in order to filter out the image, you'd need a filter that passes 10 GHz yet rejects 10.003 GHz. This is for all intents impossible. But if your IF frequency was 3 GHz, it is quite easy to filter out incoming noise at 13 GHz. There is a solution to image noise no matter how close the image is to the RF, that is an image rejection mixer. Image frequency A mixer is used in a receiver to create the IF frequency. Because a mixer creates both sum and difference frequencies, Sidebands The sidebands of a mixed signal occur at the sum and difference of the RF and LO signals. Thus a 12 GHz RF signal mixed with a 10 GHz LO will produce a lower sideband of 2 GHz and an upper sideband of 22 GHz. Mixer spurs (MxN products) This topic is coming soon! Image frequency A mixer is used in a superhet receiver to create the IF frequency. Because a mixer creates both sum and difference frequencies, by corollary, there are two RF frequencies that will produce the exact same IF frequency. The unwanted signal frequency is called the image frequency. An example: RF is 12 GHz LO is 10 GHz

http://www.microwaves101.com/encyclopedia/receivers_superhet.cfm (4 of 5)06/08/2009 12:43:46 .

Superheterodyne Receivers - Microwave Encyclopedia - Microwaves101.com

Upper beat frequency is 22 GHz Lower beat frequency is 2 GHz Image frequency is 8 GHz The RF passes through the mixer, and two possible outputs are (sum and difference) are 22 GHz and 2 GHz. We don't have to tell you that the IF is 2 GHz, do we? The 22 GHz is the upper sideband, and is discarded by filtering the IF (usually a low pass filter is all that is required). The image frequency that would produce a 2 GHz IF is 8 GHz. What's up with this? This is because an 8 GHz RF signal will mix to 18 GHz, and minus 2 GHz. Guess what? the minus sign is unimportant, there is no such thing as a negative frequency! Image noise foldover The two sidebands of a receiver can contribute to its signal-to noise ratio. It's time for a Microwaves101 rule of thumb!

Twenty dB of image rejection is about all you need before you can neglect image noise. Worst case, image noise foldover can degrade receiver noise figure by 3 dB. Image noise foldover can be prevented in two ways: use an image filter, or use an image-rejection mixer. The image rejection filter is located between the LNA and the mixer. If you place it in front of the LNA, it doesn't do the job.

You are visitor number 16651 to this page. All content copyright P-N Designs, Inc.
Home | Virtual Lobby | Microwave Encyclopedia | Microwave Calculators | Unknown Editor | Acronym Dictionary Message Boards | Cool Links | Microwave Mortuary | What's New? | Search Our Site | Download Area |Contact

http://www.microwaves101.com/encyclopedia/receivers_superhet.cfm (5 of 5)06/08/2009 12:43:46 .

Microwaves101.com - A practical resource covering the fundamental principles of microwave design

Front page updated May 31, 2009

Welcome to Microwaves101, your numero-uno source for microwave information since the previous unenlightened century. It's safe, effective, all natural, and it works! Results may vary... Read the Microwaves101 mission statement, so we'll all be on the same page-and-a-half!

The Kingston Trio 2009 IEEE IMS Symposium starts June 7. Watch out for the Charlie, The Man Who Never Returned if you ride the "T"! Read about this local legend and 1948 campaign song on Wikipedia. See you in Boston, we'll be there! Get your CharlieCard here.

We're building a practical web resource covering the fundamental principles of microwave design, just for microwave engineers like you. Check out our what's new page to see what's been added within the previous month. Please sign up for our spam-free MW101Stuff newsletter to stay informed about what's happening at Microwaves101. Learn more about the site at our contact page.

http://www.microwaves101.com/index.cfm (1 of 2)06/08/2009 12:43:48 .

Microwaves101.com - A practical resource covering the fundamental principles of microwave design

What you'll find here:

q q q q q q q q q

The basic concepts of microwave design theory in hypertext encyclopedic format! Practical rules of thumb and other sage advice from Microwave O.F.s! Useful microwave formulae presented in enter-and-click calculator formats! The best microwave acronym and abbreviation dictionary anywhere! Who was that masked man? The Unknown Editor needs to be placed under observation! A virtual lobby filled with the best microwave vendors who want to be your friends! A message board for technical and not-so-technical interchange! An easy way to win a cool Microwaves101 pocketknife! Tons more great stuff, bookmark the site, then look around!

What you won't find here:

q

q q q q

Pipe-smoking academic eggheads pondering esoteric, nerdly theoretical derivations to put you to sleep! But we do offer links to them.... Pictures of potatoes with arrows poking into them supporting any form of calculus! Yuppie daytrader information spotlighting the latest microwave millionaire! Greed-induced salary surveys to inflate your ego while you avoid real work! Anybody complaining about anything that is "not fair" or politically incorrect!

Please visit our sponsors' websites for more information on microwave products. Thinking of becoming a sponsor? Inquire at Webmaster@Microwaves101.com. Like to become a technical contributor? Inquire at TechWriter@Microwaves101.com.

Thanks for stopping at Microwaves101, Dude!

You are visitor number 352386 to this page.

Home | Virtual Lobby | Microwave Encyclopedia | Microwave Calculators | Unknown Editor | Acronym Dictionary Message Boards | Cool Links | Microwave Mortuary | What's New? | Search Our Site | Download Area |Contact

http://www.microwaves101.com/index.cfm (2 of 2)06/08/2009 12:43:48 .

Virtual Lobby - Microwaves101.com

Virtual Lobby
Updated April 14, 2009 Attention, microwave virtual vendors: Microwaves101.com is THE premier website for technical microwave content (>10,000 page views per day, and not counting the message board). We want you to share the magic by becoming a client. Go ahead and ask a traditional microwave trade magazine how many page views their web site generates each day, and compare them to us. We'll charge you less per year than you pay per month for a tiny ad in the paper issue of Microwave Journal, which is getting thinner and thinner with each issue. Check out our Sponsorship page, or email Brenda for details, or heck, just pick up the phone and call her at (520) 749-0747, 8AM-5PM MST and she'll hook you up! Below are the forward-thinking supporters of Microwaves101.com, an elite group indeed. Thanks! RF Connections is a consulting and manufacturer's representation company recently formed by Ruth Fawson in Tampa, Florida. Many of you may already know of Ruth's expertise in connectors - she's been participating in our message boards and serving as our unofficial connector "Empress" for several years now. RF connections is sponsor of our microwave connector page.

Matrix Test Equipment offers turnkey test solutions for cross-modulation and other types of distortion measurements. They'll also help you upgrade your existing equipment. Internal modulators provide 100% square wave, 15.750 kHz and 1 kHz. Fully automated equipment racks with easy-to use software drivers are available, as well as more affordable solutions. Signal generators can accommodate 50 or 75 ohms systems, and prime power from 90 to 240 volts can be used. If your company doesn't have distortion measurement capability, Matrix Test Equipment, Inc. offers various
http://www.microwaves101.com/content/virtuallobby.cfm (1 of 3)06/08/2009 12:44:28 .

Virtual Lobby - Microwaves101.com

flexible approaches to perform this service at their Middlesex NJ site, at a daily rate or for ongoing large volume testing at an affordable price per part. Matrix Test Equipment has sponsored a Microwaves101 page on distortion measurements.

Sonnet Software Inc. of Syracuse, New York, is dedicated completely to the development of commercial EM software. They've been developing 3D planar EM software since 1983, and their software has earned a solid reputation as the world's most accurate commercial planar EM analysis package for single and multi-layer planar circuits and antennas. Sonnet has sponsored a page on EM analysis.

ARC Technologies of Amesbury Massachusetts is the leading supplier of microwave absorbing materials for commercial and defense applications. While providing a complete range of standard absorber products, ARC Technologies also offers dielectric materials, composites, radomes, and radar absorbing structures (RAS). Contact them at (978) 388-2993 to discuss your needs. They have contributed and sponsored a three-page Microwaves101 tutorial on radar cross-section reduction, check it out! Part one is on fundamentals of electromagnetic waves. Part two is on radar cross-section physics. Part three is on radar absorbers and absorption mechanism.

The Lobby Lizard story...

Note: this story reflects how it was in the old days, when manufacturer's reps swarmed around large electronics companies, cold-calling everyone in the lobby phone book. Today with the internet, business is much easier, and sites like Microwaves101 can help you locate individuals who are truly

http://www.microwaves101.com/content/virtuallobby.cfm (2 of 3)06/08/2009 12:44:28 .

Virtual Lobby - Microwaves101.com

interested in your products and not waste anyone's time, on either side of the supply chain. You've been at work for only two weeks. The Boss doesn't even know your name. Then suddenly the phone rings. Must be a wrong number, you have no friends. Wrong number? Worse than that, it's a microwave vendor, a lobby lizard. He's out in the lobby, he has a thousand catalogs, and he wants to know how many "asynchronous phase-locked inverters" you will be needing. You'll recognize him, he's the fat dude sweating heavily in the leisure suit... Don't panic! Tell him you are busy, but might be able to do lunch. That way, you will be able to order a few cocktails while he bores you with his product line. Don't improve his self-esteem by thanking him for lunch, the rest of us don't want you to raise the bar. Then, deep-six all of the paper catalogs and CDs he gave you on the way back to your office, and return to Microwaves101.com, where we will put you in touch with only the best vendors (hey, they took us to Happy Hour!) Just kidding...

You are visitor number 31267 to this page. All content copyright P-N Designs, Inc.
Home | Virtual Lobby | Microwave Encyclopedia | Microwave Calculators | Unknown Editor | Acronym Dictionary Message Boards | Cool Links | Microwave Mortuary | What's New? | Search Our Site | Download Area |Contact

http://www.microwaves101.com/content/virtuallobby.cfm (3 of 3)06/08/2009 12:44:28 .