Fast Switching Low Noise Synthesizers

Fast tuning and low phase noise are typically opposing specifications for synthesizers. In this talk we will discuss modern synthesizers and how the tuning speed and phase noise coupling has been broken enabling both low phase noise and fast switching as attributes of the same synthesizer. We will discuss construction of small form factor, fast switching, low phase noise synthesizers.

Speaker and Presenter Information

Paul Jackson, CTO of FEI-Elcom is an RF engineer and inventor with two successful startups and three patents. His patented approach for ADC�s significantly improves SFDR and ENOB in commercial digital receivers. He cofounded Advanced Radio Corporation, an innovative receiver design company that was later acquired by Mercury Systems. His first patent was a novel monopulse DF antenna covering 0.5-18 GHz which was sensitive to all polarization (horizontal, vertical, slant, LH, RH). Paul also developed the Watkins Johnson 2 MHz to 3 GHz periscope mounted submarine DF antenna which was also used on mobile platforms. Antenna designs cover VLF 50 KHz submarine antennas as well as HF, VLF, C, X through 18 GHz. Paul�s second patent cancels spurs on a DAC or DDS and created one of the fastest tuning synthesizers while maintaining one of the lowest phase noise specs achievable.