SiGe Dividers Reach 15 GHz

A pair of programmable dividers from Hittite Microwave Corp. supports signal-generation applications from 100 MHz to 15 GHz. Models HMC862LP3E and HMC905LP3E are silicon-germanium (SiGe) BiCMOS low-noise programmable frequency dividers supplied in 3 x 3 mm surface-mount packages. The former provides divide ratios of 1, 2, 4, and 8 for inputs from 100 MHz to 15 GHz while the latter offers divide ratios of 1, 2, 3, and 4 for input signals from 400 MHz to 6 GHz. The model HMC862LP3E divider yields phase noise of -153 dBc/Hz for offsets greater than 100 kHz while the model HMC905LP3E achieves phase noise of -158 dBc/Hz for offsets greater than 100 kHz. It can provide as much as +6 dBm output power in a single-ended configuration.