3 Description

The AFE7960 is a high performance, wide bandwidth multi-channel transceiver, integrating four (4T) RF sampling transmitter (TX) chains and a total of six (6R) RF sampling receivers. Out of the six receivers, four have full functionality and can be used as receive (RX) signal chains in a radio application. The other two receivers can optionally be configured as feedback (FB) receivers in a Digital pre-distortion (DPD) signal chain. Alternatively, all six can be used as receive signal chains. With operation up to 18 GHz, the AFE enables direct RF sampling in the Ku band without the need for additional frequency conversions stages. This high density and configurability enables high-channel-count, multi-mission systems.

The TX and RX interface data rates can be chosen based on signal bandwidths, and is limited by the JESD204B/C interface speed. The data streams are matched to the DAC update rate or to the ADC conversion rate using interpolation in the DUC or decimation in the DDC.

The DAC runs at a maximum rate of 12GSPS and operates in the 2nd and 3rd Nyquist, enabling the generation of RF signals up to 18GHz.

Each receive chain has a 3GSPS ADC which can convert higher Nyquist zones to digitize RF signals up to a maximum of 18GHz. Digital power detectors at the ADC output can be configured to assist an external Automatic Gain control (AGC) loop to control the RF front-end gain.

The AFE7960 can be programmed using the SPI interface. The device has programmable GPIOs that can be configured to various functions like interrupt generation, fast frequency hopping, and so forth.