Digi-Key – High-performance RF power detector delivers RMS and envelope outputs (TruPwr RMS detector)

ADI’s ADL5511 RF envelope and TruPwr RMS detector is now available from Digi-Key. The envelope output voltage is presented as a voltage that is proportional to the envelope of the input signal. The RMS output voltage is independent of the peak-to-average ratio of the input signal.

The RMS output is a linear-in-V/V voltage with a conversion gain of 1.9 V/V RMS at 900 MHz. The envelope output has a conversion gain of 1.46 V/V at 900 MHz and is referenced to an internal 1.1 V reference voltage, which is available on the EREF pin. The ADL5511 can operate from DC to 6 GHz on signals with envelope bandwidths up to 130 MHz.

The extracted envelope can be used for RF power amplifier (PA) linearization and efficiency enhancements and the RMS output can be used for RMS power measurement. The high RMS accuracy and fast envelope response are particularly useful for envelope detection and power measurement of broadband, high peak-to-average signals that are used in CDMA2000, W-CDMA, and LTE systems.

Applications include RMS power and envelope detection of W-CDMA, CDMA2000, LTE, and other complex waveforms, drain modulation based power amplifier linearization, and power amplifier linearization employing envelope-tracking methods, says the company.