ADF5709 Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuit

ADI's ADF5709 wideband, monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC), voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) supports an output frequency (fOUT) range of 9.85 GHz to 20.5 GHz while maintaining -83 dBc/Hz phase noise at 100 kHz offset without subharmonic tones. The wide frequency tuning range and low phase noise allow phase-locked loop (PLL) solutions for a variety of frequency bands and limit the need for multiple narrowband VCOs. The broad frequency coverage reduces the board design complexity and simplifies the bill of materials when designing RF and microwave applications.

The VCO operates from a single 5 V supply and consumes only 70 mA of supply current, which results in minimal power dissipation. The ADF5709 low power consumption is ideal for high-performance applications with limited or no airflow. The monolithic construction of the VCO allows optimal output power and noise characteristics over temperature variations.

The VCO is fully integrated, combining a resonator, a negative resistance device, and a varactor diode to minimize the number of external components and reduce board space.

The low input impedance on the VTUNE pin of the ADF5709 enables high tuning speed and modulation bandwidth, allowing faster frequency sweeps and lock times when used as part of a frequency synthesizer in radar or test and measurement applications, for example.

The ADF5709 is encapsulated into a tiny, 3.90 mm x 3.90 mm, RoHS compliant ceramic leadless chip carrier (LCC) package. The package includes through vias to the exposed pad, enhancing thermal characteristics.

The small size, optimal noise performance, low power consumption, and wide tuning range of the ADF5709 make the device ideal for many applications requiring flexibility, high performance, a small footprint, and a tight power budget. The ADF5709 is pin-to-pin compatible with the HMC733 and other Analog Devices wideband VCOs.

The EV-ADF5709 contains the ADF5709, external supply headers, supply decoupling capacitors, a V_TUNE subminiature Version A (SMA) connector, and a 2.92 mm RF output K connector. No software interface is required to control the ADF5709 while the device is operating as a standalone VCO in open-loop mode.