A distributed double-balanced dual-gate FET mixer

A double-balanced dual-gate FET mixer, which is very insensitive to DC bias and RF termination variations, has been fabricated using monolithic circuit technology. The unique approach requires only one balun (balance-unbalance converter), which can be either active or passive and exhibits excellent decade-band performance with overlapping frequency response on all ports. It is concluded that this device can be used as a broadband upconverter as well as a conventional mixer in a variety of receiver applications. In addition, since the mixer is completely balanced, the IF frequency response can overlay the LO (local oscillator) or RF responses which usually can only be accomplished with a double-double balanced structure.<>