CRF2101
DC-to-5GHz
High IIP3, Active, Current Reuse Mixer

PRESS RELEASE --For Immediate Release
   The CurrentRF CRF2101 Active,Current Reuse Mixer cuts Dynamic Power dissipation and enhances performance throughout any system... 

   CurrentRF,A Tracy,California RF Engineering Company,today introduces the CRF2101,a breakthrough,highly linear,broadband,current reuse,low supply voltage,active mixer for use in a wide variety of communication systems. Possessing wide bandwidth I/O ports and low intermodulation distortion,the CRF2101 is well suited for high performance transmit or receive channel applications..
   Designed specifically for low headroom applications,such as the RF Upconversion of Current Sinking Digital to Analog Converters (.8 volts minimum headroom),and for current reuse in communications systems,the CRF2101 can operate from supply voltages as low as +1.3 volts and can be configured to consume little,if any,additional system power.
   The CRF2101 conserves system power by reusing analog signal processing current and,if properly configured,allows DSP and Converter chips to run at lower clock rates,thus cutting the Dynamic Power these chips would draw if they were
clocked at higher clock rates.This lowering of system clock rates also serves to enhance the dynamic performance of the Converter chips used in these systems,in that lower clock rates give converters longer to settle,thus enhanced dynamic performance.
   The low impedance open-emitter differential inputs of the CRF2101 may be interfaced directly to the output of a current sinking (NMOS or NPN output)Digital to Analog Converter,differential filter,the output of another CRF2101 active mixer,or driven through a balun (transformer)to provide a balanced input drive from a single-ended source.
   The high impedance open-collector differential outputs of the CRF2101 may be used to drive a differential IF or RF interface,a differential IF or RF filter,or convert to a single ended source through the use of a balun transformer. 
   The CRF2101 differential LO port may be set up to receive signals from any line impedance and may be driven directly from the output of a balun transformer,or other differential sine or square wave source.
   The output ports may source a maximum of 20mA per output.This current may be the "reused" signal current from the output of a current sinking (NMOS or NPN output)Digital to Analog Converter,DC current sourced into the part from external current set resistors or current sources,or a combination of the above.
   The CRF2101 may be tailored to consume under 1 milliwatt of additional system power if configured to totally "reuse" current sinking ((NMOS or NPN output)Digital to Analog Converter currents,or a maximum power consumption of 200 milliwatts if configured to be biased with 20mA of DC current per output with a +5 Volt supply.
   The CRF2101 is fabricated on a proprietary,high performance,10GHz,Silicon Bipolar IC process.The CRF2101 is available in an 8 lead SOIC package. It operates over a -40C to +85C temperature range.

About CurrentRF
CurrentRF is a new company founded in 2002 by Michael Hopkins.It is based in Tracy, Ca.Michael Hopkins is a DAC/RFIC designer with 18 years of design experience and has worked for companies such as Analog Devices,TRW,and Northrop Grumman.He holds a BS degree in Computer and Electrical Engineering from North Carolina State University and a total of 5 patents in RFIC design.For Additional information,evaluation boards,samples,product pricing,or technical help
contact us at:

CRF2101 Figure 1 (EPS)
CurrentRF_CRF2101_Fig1.eps