Linear Technology introduces broadband fully differential amplifiers

     Linear Technology, a division of Analog Devices, introduces the LTC6432-15, a wideband fully differential amplifier with a gain of 15dB. The device offers linearity up to +50.3dBm OIP3 (output third-order interception), a very high +22.7dBm OP1dB (output 1dB compression point), and a 3.2dB noise index (at 150MHz). In addition to its excellent signal-to-noise ratio at high frequencies, it maintains its dynamic range performance even at lower frequencies. This is because the LTC6432-15's advanced SiGe process bipolar design has a significantly reduced 1/f noise frequency corner compared to amplifiers based on GaAs or pHEMT FETs.

     As a result, its noise index only rises to 6.6dB at 100kHz, while the noise index of other similar amplifiers rises to more than 20dB. The LTC6432-15 effectively extends effective bandwidth and dynamic range performance for many applications dealing with low frequency signals. Moreover, compared to GaAs and pHEMT FET amplifiers, the LTC6432-15 also achieves excellent stability across the entire temperature range, power supply range and device to device.

     The LTC6432-15's high dynamic range and extended bandwidth to low frequencies broadens its utility and improves its performance in many amplifier applications. Includes high sample rate A/D converter drivers, cable network amplifiers, broadband source conditioning, radar receiver IF amplifiers, software defined radios, VHF/UHF broadcast radio equipment, and RF test instruments.

     LTC6432-15 Differential inputs and outputs are internally terminated at 100Ω. Its inputs match in the 100kHz to 1.4GHz band and have a backhaul loss of better than 10dB over the entire bandwidth range. In addition, the output is also matched in the 100kHz to 1GHz band. The amplifier requires only DC isolation capacitors (arranged at its input and output), two chokes to provide correct bias, and one feedback capacitor per output to extend its excellent gain flatness to low frequencies.

     The LTC6432-15 operates with a single 5V power supply. It absorbs 166mA of nominal supply current. The device specifications operate in the case temperature range of -40 °C to 85°C. The LTC6432-15 comes in A 4mm x 4mm plastic QFN package and is available in two grades: a Class B version with all typical parametric performance for $3.69 per tablet, and a higher performance Class A version with tested and guaranteed metrics for $6.44 per tablet.