RF Mixers & Frequency Converters Overview
Up-and-down conversion is often used because waveform generation in a transmitter is less expensive at lower frequencies, and the dynamic range of analogue-to-digital converters in the receiver is higher at lower frequencies.
The core component of a frequency converter is the
RF mixer. If two signals are passed through a non-linear circuit (RF mixer), then additional signals on new frequencies are formed. A
Schottky diode is one of the popular options among non-linear devices for mixers.
A complete RF frequency converter module incorporates a mixer with other elements, including a local oscillator, to generate the carrier frequency, filters, RF switches, gain stages, and system interface logic.
