Zero IF

Chip designers have leveraged incremental improvements in IC process technology and digital and RF chip design to build the first zero intermediate frequency (IF) chip sets for multimode cellular phone designs. The sets promise to give cellular phone designers a unique opportunity to get to market more quickly with lower cost, higher performance products in a smaller footprint.

A zero-IF approach enables direct conversion of analog RF signals to a digital baseband format. This dramatically reduces component count and thus handset footprint and cost. Reducing the number of parts also simplifies the supply chain and manufacturing and improves yield.

http://www.commsdesign.com/design_corner/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=16501651

Resources