Integrated RF sampling transceiver, do you know?

What is an integrated RF sampling transceiver? What does it do? Beijing News (March 5, 2019) - Texas Instruments (TI) (Nasdaq: TXN) recently released two new RF sampling transceivers. These two transceivers integrate four analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) and four digital-to-analog converters (DACs) on a single chip for the first time. The quad-channel AFE7444 and dual-channel AFE7422 transceivers offer industry-leading frequency range and instantaneous bandwidth while taking up 75% less space than discrete solutions, making it easier for engineers to design radar, software-defined radio and wireless 5G applications. Deploy multi-antenna, direct RF sampling.

Simplify frequency planning with high bandwidth

• Industry-leading highest instantaneous bandwidth (IBW): The AFE7444 and AFE7422 have higher highest instantaneous bandwidth than similar RF sampling transceivers in the industry, helping engineers achieve up to 6 times more data throughput. The maximum sampling rate of each digital-to-analog converter of the AFE7444 can reach 9GSPS, and the analog-to-digital converter can reach 3GSPS. It can send and receive 800 MHz information from each antenna (a total of 4); the AFE7422 can send and receive 800 MHz information from each antenna (a total of 4) 2) to send and receive 1.2 GHz information.

• Wide frequency range: Using the new RF sampling wideband transceiver, engineers can design applications more flexibly in the 10 MHz to 6 GHz range.

Simplifying the design process for direct RF sampling

• Reduced component count: With the AFE7444 and AFE7422, engineers can deploy eight antennas on a single device to achieve 16 RF bands. In addition, engineers can directly sample the input frequency to the C-band without the need for other frequency conversions, and there is no need to use local oscillators, mixers, amplifiers and filters in the design. The architecture of the two new transceivers enables better programmability compared to traditional RF solutions, and flexible sampling options optimize data bandwidth.

• Reduced design flow: The AFE7444 and AFE7422 integrate four analog-to-digital converters and four digital-to-analog converters onto a single chip, allowing engineers to significantly reduce the design cycle associated with the manufacturing and test stages of using discrete components.

Save space for high-density applications

• Smaller footprint: TI's RF sampling transceiver measures only 17 mm × 17 mm. Compared with designs using discrete RF sampling data converters, it can effectively help engineers save 75% of circuit board space.

• More flexible circuit board layout: The high integration and compact form factor of AFE7444 and AFE7422 can help engineers optimize the location layout of transceivers and antennas, allowing digital beams to form high-frequency and high-density antenna matrices.

With the addition of the AFE7444 and AFE7422 to TI's RF sampling transceiver product line, it can meet engineers' performance, bandwidth and power requirements with a higher level of integration.

Tools and support to speed up design

• Evaluate the new transceivers using the AFE7444EVM and AFE7422EVM evaluation modules, available now from TI stores and authorized resellers.

• Engineers can quickly start the design phase using the AFE7444 or AFE7422, which provides a multi-channel RF transceiver clock reference design for radar and wireless 5G testers.

• Watch the "Getting Started with the AFE7444 and AFE7422" video series. The above is the analysis of the integrated RF sampling transceiver, I hope it can help you.