Mixer Simulation Task

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The mixer task enables the calculation of mixer-specific properties.

Three external ports must be defined for your mixer that will be associated with the mixer ports. Additional external ports will be replaced by resistors during the simulation.

Frequency Limits frame

Lower Limit: Shows the lower frequency limit.

Upper Limit: Shows the upper frequency limit.

General settings frame

Upconverting: Select this option if your mixer is upconverting. Upconverting means that the mixer produces output at a RF frequency as the sum of an oscillator frequency, LO, and an intermediate (signal) frequency, IF (e.g., for modulation).

Downconverting: Select this option if your mixer is downconverting. Downconverting means that the mixer produces output at a frequency, IF, as the difference of the RF frequency and the oscillator frequency, LO (e.g., for demodulation).

LO port: Select the external port that is associated with the oscillator signal.

IF port: Select the external port that belongs to the intermediate frequency.

RF port: Select the external port that refers to the radio frequency.

Units frame

Global units: Use the global units (that may be defined within the Units dialog box) for this task.

Local units: Select this option to specify local units.

Frequencies: Select the local frequency unit here.

Resistances: Select the local resistance unit here.

Simulation settings frame

LO P/dBm: Specify the LO power level here. This value is ignored if the LO power is swept.

LO Res: Specify the resistance associated with the LO port here. The resistance specified for the corresponding external port will be ignored during the simulation.

LO Freq: Specify the LO frequency here. This value is ignored if this property is swept.

IF P/dBm / RF P/dBm: Specify the input power level here that is the IF power for an upconverting mixer and the RF power for the downconverting mixer.

IF Res / RF Res: Specify the resistance associated with the input port.

IF / RF freq: Specify the frequency for the input port, i.e., the IF frequency for an upconverting mixer or the RF frequency for the downconverting mixer.

RF Res / IF Res: Specify the resistance for the output port that is the RF port for the upconverting type and the IF port for the downconverting mixer.

No Sweep: Select this option to evaluate results for the frequencies and powers specified above. None of these properties will then be swept.

Sweep IF frequency / Sweep RF frequency: Select this option to sweep the input frequency.

Sweep LO power: Select this option to sweep the oscillator power.

Sweep IF Power / Sweep RF power: Select this option to sweep the input power (IF for upconverting, RF for downconverting).

Fmin / Pmin: Specify the lower limit for the sweep here.

Fmax / Pmax: Specify the upper limit for the sweep here.

Samples: Specify the number of samples to perform during the simulation. The samples are equidistant.

Logarithmic sweep: The frequency samples for the frequency sweep are logarithmically distributed.

Result settings frame

Calculate VSWR at IF port / RF port: The voltage standing wave ratio at the input port will be calculated. It is computed from the reflection coefficient by:

                     VSWR = (1+|S₁₁|) / (1-| S₁₁|).
This option is only available if the frequency of the input signal (with frequency f_IF or f_RF) is swept..

Calculate spectrum at RF port / IF port: To calculate the spectrum at the output port, 'No Sweep' must be selected above.

Calculate isolation: The isolation coefficients between the ports will be calculated as functions of the swept input power (P_IF for upconverting or P_RF for downconverting, respectively).

Calculate conversion gain: The conversion gain will be calculated as a function of either the local oscillator power or the input power (P_IF for upconverting and P_RF for downconverting, respectively). Note that for the upconverting type, two result curves will be generated for f_LO-f_IF (lower) and f_LO+f_IF (upper) whereas for the downconverting type, f_RF-f_LO is relevant only.

OK

Stores the current settings and closes the dialog box.

Cancel

Closes this dialog box without performing any further action.

Apply

Stores the current settings (without closing the dialog box).

Specials

Shows the Solver Specials Dialog.

Help

Shows this help text.

See also

Simulation Task Overview