MIXERS - DOUBLE-BALANCED - CHIP
4
4 - 2
For price, delivery, and to place orders, please contact Hittite Microwave Corporation:
20 Alpha Road, Chelmsford, MA 01824 Phone: 978-250-3343 Fax: 978-250-3373
Order On-line at www.hittite.com
HMC128
GaAs MMIC DOUBLE-BALANCED
MIXER, 1.8 - 5.0 GHz
v03.1007
General Description
Features
Functional Diagram
Conversion Loss: 7 dB
LO to RF and IF Isolation: >36 dB
Input IP3: +18 dBm
No DC Bias Required
Die Size: 1.45 x 1.45 x 0.1 mm
Electrical Speci cations, TA = +25° C, LO Drive = +15 dBm*
Typical Applications
The HMC128 is a miniature double-balanced mixer
chip that can be used as an upconverter or downcon-
verter. The device is a passive diode/balun type mixer
with high dynamic range. Noise gure is essentially
equal to the conversion loss. The mixer can handle
larger signal levels than active mixers due to the high
third order intercept. MMIC implementation provides
exceptional balance in the circuit resulting in high LO/
RF and LO/IF isolations. This mixer can operate over
a wide LO Drive input of +9 to +15 dBm.
The HMC128 is ideal for:
• Microwave & VSAT Radios
• Test Equipment
• Military EW, ECM, C3I
• Space Telecom
Parameter Min. Typ. Max. Units
Frequency Range, RF & LO 1.8 - 5.0 GHz
Frequency Range, IF DC - 3 GHz
Conversion Loss 710dB
Noise Figure (SSB) 710dB
LO to RF Isolation 35 42 dB
LO to IF Isolation 27 36 dB
IP3 (Input) 15 18 dBm
IP2 (Input) 45 50 dBm
1 dB Gain Compression (Input) 5 10 dBm
* Unless otherwise noted, all measurements performed as downconverter, IF = 100 MHz
MIXERS - DOUBLE-BALANCED - CHIP
4
4 - 3
For price, delivery, and to place orders, please contact Hittite Microwave Corporation:
20 Alpha Road, Chelmsford, MA 01824 Phone: 978-250-3343 Fax: 978-250-3373
Order On-line at www.hittite.com
Conversion Gain vs. LO Drive
Conversion Gain vs . Temperature
@ LO = +15 dBm Isolation @ LO = +15 dBm
LO and RF Return Loss
IF Bandwidth @ LO = +15 dBm
Upconverter Performance
Conversion Gain vs. LO Drive
-20
-15
-10
-5
0
1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5 5.5 6
+25 C
+85 C
-55 C
CONVERSION GAIN (dB)
FREQUENCY (GHz)
-20
-15
-10
-5
0
1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5 5.5 6
RF
LO
FREQUENCY (GHz)
RETURN LOSS (dB)
-20
-15
-10
-5
0
012345
IF CONVERSION LOSS
IF RETURN LOSS
FREQUENCY (GHz)
RESPONSE (dB)
-20
-15
-10
-5
0
1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5 5.5 6
+ 9 dBm
+ 11 dBm
+ 13 dBm
+ 15 dBm
FREQUENCY (GHz)
CONVERSION GAIN (dB)
-20
-15
-10
-5
0
1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5 5.5 6
+9 dBm
+11 dBm
+13 dBm
+15 dBm
CONVERSION GAIN (dB)
FREQUENCY (GHz)
-60
-50
-40
-30
-20
-10
0
1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5 5.5 6
RF/IF
LO/RF
LO/IF
ISOLATION (dB)
Frequency (GHz)
HMC128
v03.1007 GaAs MMIC DOUBLE-BALANCED
MIXER, 1.8 - 5.0 GHz
MIXERS - DOUBLE-BALANCED - CHIP
4
4 - 4
For price, delivery, and to place orders, please contact Hittite Microwave Corporation:
20 Alpha Road, Chelmsford, MA 01824 Phone: 978-250-3343 Fax: 978-250-3373
Order On-line at www.hittite.com
Input IP2 vs LO Drive
Input IP3 vs. LO Drive
Input IP3 vs.
Temperature @ LO = +15 dBm
Input IP2 vs.
Temperature @ LO = +15 dBm
Input P1dB vs.
Temperature @ LO = +15 dBm Harmonics of LO
nLO Spur @ RF Port
LO Freq. (GHz) 1 2 3 4
1.5 54 42 54 54
2.0 48 41 50 66
2.5 47 41 44 76
3.5 40 50 52 75
4.5 40 60 51 65
5.5 38 60 46 63
LO = +13 dBm
All values in dBc below input LO level measured at RF port.
10
15
20
25
30
1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5 5.5 6
+11 dBm
+13 dBm
+15 dBm
IP3 (dBm)
FREQUENCY (GHz)
40
45
50
55
60
65
70
75
80
1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5 5.5 6
+25 C
+85 C
-55 C
IP2 (dBm)
FREQUENCY (GHz)
40
45
50
55
60
65
70
75
80
1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5 5.5 6
+ 11 dBm
+ 13 dBm
+ 15 dBm
IP2 (dBm)
FREQUENCY (GHz)
10
15
20
25
30
1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5 5.5 6
+ 25 C
+ 85 C
- 55 C
IP3 (dBm)
FREQUENCY (GHz)
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5 5.5 6
+ 25 C
+ 85 C
- 55 C
P1dB (dBm)
Frequency (GHz)
HMC128
v03.1007 GaAs MMIC DOUBLE-BALANCED
MIXER, 1.8 - 5.0 GHz
MIXERS - DOUBLE-BALANCED - CHIP
4
4 - 5
For price, delivery, and to place orders, please contact Hittite Microwave Corporation:
20 Alpha Road, Chelmsford, MA 01824 Phone: 978-250-3343 Fax: 978-250-3373
Order On-line at www.hittite.com
Absolute Maximum Ratings
LO Drive +27 dBm
Storage Temperature -65 to +150 °C
Operating Temperature -55 to +85 °C
MxN Spurious @ IF Port
nLO
mRF01234
0xx5.630.311.134.5
12.8023.331.529.1
262.358.657.860.375.8
3 74.3 >85 74.3 65.8 74.3
4 >85 >85 >85 >85 >85
RF Freq.= 3.5 GHz @ -10 dBm
LO Freq.= 3.4 GHz @ +13 dBm
All values in dBc below IF power level.
Measured as downconverter
ELECTROSTATIC SENSITIVE DEVICE
OBSERVE HANDLING PRECAUTIONS
NOTES:
1. ALL DIMENSIONS ARE IN INCHES [MM]
2. BOND PADS ARE .004” SQUARE
3. TYPICAL BOND PAD SPACING CENTER TO CENTER IS .006”
.1 EXCEPT AS SHOWN
4. DIE THICKNESS = .004” [.100 MM]
5. BACKSIDE METALIZATION: GOLD
6. BACKSIDE METAL IS GROUND
7. BOND PAD METALIZATION: GOLD
Outline Drawing
Die Packaging Information [1]
Standard Alternate
WP-3 (Waffle Pack) [2]
[1] Refer to the “Packaging Information” section for die
packaging dimensions.
[2] For alternate packaging information contact Hittite
Microwave Corporation.
HMC128
v03.1007 GaAs MMIC DOUBLE-BALANCED
MIXER, 1.8 - 5.0 GHz
MIXERS - DOUBLE-BALANCED - CHIP
4
4 - 6
For price, delivery, and to place orders, please contact Hittite Microwave Corporation:
20 Alpha Road, Chelmsford, MA 01824 Phone: 978-250-3343 Fax: 978-250-3373
Order On-line at www.hittite.com
Pad Number Function Description Interface Schematic
1 LO This pin is DC coupled and matched to 50 Ohms.
2IF
This pin is DC coupled. For applications not requiring oper-
ation to DC, this port should be DC blocked externally using
a series capacitor whose value has been chosen to pass
the necessary IF frequency range. For operation to DC this
pin must not source or sink more than 2mA of current or die
non-function and possible die failure will result.
3 RF This pin is DC coupled and matched to 50 Ohms.
GND The backside of the die must connect to RF ground.
Pad Descriptions
HMC128
v03.1007 GaAs MMIC DOUBLE-BALANCED
MIXER, 1.8 - 5.0 GHz
MIXERS - DOUBLE-BALANCED - CHIP
4
4 - 7
For price, delivery, and to place orders, please contact Hittite Microwave Corporation:
20 Alpha Road, Chelmsford, MA 01824 Phone: 978-250-3343 Fax: 978-250-3373
Order On-line at www.hittite.com
Assembly Diagram
Handling Precautions
Follow these precautions to avoid permanent damage.
Storage: All bare die are placed in either Waffle or Gel based ESD protective containers, and then sealed in an ESD protective bag
for shipment. Once the sealed ESD protective bag has been opened, all die should be stored in a dry nitrogen environment.
Cleanliness: Handle the chips in a clean environment. DO NOT attempt to clean the chip using liquid cleaning systems.
Static Sensitivity: Follow ESD precautions to protect against ESD strikes.
Transients: Suppress instrument and bias supply transients while bias is applied. Use shielded signal and bias cables to minimize
inductive pick-up.
General Handling: Handle the chip along the edges with a vacuum collet or with a sharp pair of bent tweezers. The surface of the
chip has fragile air bridges and should not be touched with vacuum collet, tweezers, or  ngers.
Mounting
The chip is back-metallized and can be die mounted with AuSn eutectic preforms or with electrically conductive epoxy. The mounting
surface should be clean and  at.
Eutectic Die Attach: A 80/20 gold tin preform is recommended with a work surface temperature of 255 °C and a tool temperature
of 265 °C. When hot 90/10 nitrogen/hydrogen gas is applied, tool tip temperature should be 290 °C. DO NOT expose the chip
to a temperature greater than 320 °C for more than 20 seconds. No more than 3 seconds of scrubbing should be required for
attachment.
Epoxy Die Attach: Apply a minimum amount of epoxy to the mounting surface so that a thin epoxy  llet is observed around the
perimeter of the chip once it is placed into position. Cure epoxy per the manufacturer’s schedule.
Wire Bonding
Ball or wedge bond with 0.025 mm (1 mil) diameter pure gold wire. Thermosonic wirebonding with a nominal stage temperature of
150 °C and a ball bonding force of 40 to 50 grams or wedge bonding force of 18 to 22 grams is recommended. Use the minimum
level of ultrasonic energy to achieve reliable wirebonds. Wirebonds should be started on the chip and terminated on the package or
substrate. All bonds should be as short as possible <0.31 mm (12 mils).
HMC128
v03.1007 GaAs MMIC DOUBLE-BALANCED
MIXER, 1.8 - 5.0 GHz