Front-End Mixed-Signal Receiver on a Chip

A mixed-signal receiver on a chip (RoC) now undergoing development is intended to be a prototype of the front ends of lightweight, compact, low-power, relatively inexpensive heterodyne radio receivers for future phased array radar systems. [As used here, "mixed-signal" refers to a design for utilization of both analog and digital signals, and "front end" signifies the portion of a heterodyne receiver that processes the raw radio-frequency (RF) input to produce an output at an intermediate frequency (IF) that is the difference between the RF and the frequency of a local oscillator (LO).] The RoC will include two integrated circuits, denoted IC1 and IC2 respectively, that comprise integrated chipsets designed and fabricated on the basis of the International Business Machines 7HP generation of SiGe bipolar complementary oxide/semiconductor (BiCMOS) technology.