Fully differential amplifier products improve the performance of radar, test and measurement equipment, and wireless base stations.

DALLAS, Nov. 20, 2014 – Texas Instruments (TI) ( NASDAQ: TXN) today introduced two new fully differential amplifier (FDA) devices that enhance system functionality and performance in DC-coupled applications with best-in-class AC performance. The LMH3401 and LMH5401 FDAs deliver higher bandwidth, slew rate and lower distortion than traditional ADC drivers, enabling the design of more reliable radar systems. They also enable the design of wireless base stations with fewer dropped calls and faster upload speeds. (For more information about the LMH3401 and LMH5401, visit www.ti.com/lmh3401-pr-kr .)

The LMH3401 not only provides higher performance than similar FDAs with 16 dB of gain, but also saves 30% in size and power consumption. It also boasts -3 dB bandwidth of 7 GHz with 16 dB of gain, high slew rate of 18,000 V/ms, and low harmonic distortion of -77 dBc at 500 MHz.

The LMH5401 can be designed with 6 dB or more gain and provides a -3 dB bandwidth of 6.2 GHz with 12 dB gain. Additionally, it offers industry-leading performance specifications with a slew rate of 17,500 V/ms, harmonic distortion of -90 dBc at 200 MHz, and IMD3 characteristics of -90 dBc at 200 MHz.

Key Features of LMH3401 and LMH5401

· Best-in-class bandwidth and slew rate at low power: Enables system designers to track fast edges in pulse-based systems such as radar and amplify high frequencies in continuous RF waveform environments such as wireless base stations, all while maintaining low power consumption.

· High signal quality: The system can receive small signals even in the presence of large blocker signals.

· No Baluns Required: The signal can be converted from single-ended to differential, eliminating the need for baluns. This reduces the overall BOM (Bill of Materials), enables wider bandwidth, and allows for smaller system footprints and simpler designs. The advantages of the LMH3401 and LMH5401 over baluns are detailed in the blog.

Maximize system performance with complementary devices

The LMH3401 and LMH5401 minimize data converter distortion when converting pure DC to over 1 GHz in transmit/receive applications. Therefore, by utilizing these products, system developers can optimize the performance of TI's high-speed data converters, including the 12-bit 4GSPS ADC12J4000, 16-bit 370MSPS ADC16DX370, and 16-bit 2.5GSPS DAC38J84.

Additionally, TI's low-dropout regulators (LDOs) maximize the performance of the LMH3401 and LMH5401 by providing noiseless positive and negative supply rails. The LP5907 enables the LMH3401 to meet today's RF and analog circuit requirements by providing low noise, high power supply rejection ratio (PSRR), low quiescent current, and high-speed line and load transient response. The TPS7A3001 LDO generates a clean negative power rail required for dual power supplies by attenuating upstream ripple.

Tools and support for rapid design

Evaluation modules for the LMH3401 and LMH5401 are available for $149, and TINA-TI SPICE models and reference designs enable rapid simulation of system performance.

For support for engineers, visit the High Speed Amplifiers forum in the TI E2E™ Community to search for troubleshooting tips, ask questions, get help and solve problems with fellow engineers and TI experts.

Packages, Supply and Prices

The LMH3401 and LMH5401 are available in a 14-pin 2.5 mm x 2.5 mm QFN package, with suggested retail pricing of $8.95 and $7.95, respectively, in 1,000-unit quantities.

Learn more about TI's high-speed amplifier portfolio:

· LMH3401 and LMH5401 data sheets

· Article on how to reduce the effects of common-mode noise on differential signal paths

· Article on how to reduce high-speed power supply problems using LDOs

·   Tips on how to deal with filter loss in communication systems