MAX5186/MAX5189
Dual, 8-Bit, 40MHz, Current/Voltage,
Simultaneous-Output DACs
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Figure 5. Differential to Single-Ended Conversion Using a Low-Distortion Amplifier
Differential to Single-Ended Conversion
The MAX4108 low-distortion, high-input bandwidth
amplifier may be used to generate a voltage from the
array current output of the MAX5186. The differential
voltage across OUT1P (or OUT2P) and OUT1N (or
OUT2N) is converted into a single-ended voltage by
designing an appropriate operational amplifier configu-
ration (Figure 5).
I/Q Reconstruction in a QAM Application
The MAX5186/MAX5189’s low distortion supports ana-
log reconstruction of in-phase (I) and quadrature (Q)
carrier components typically used in quadrature ampli-
tude modulation (QAM) architectures where I and Q
data are interleaved on a common data bus. A QAM
signal is both amplitude and phase modulated, created
by summing two independently modulated carriers of
identical frequency but different phase (90° phase dif-
ference).
In a typical QAM application (Figure 6), the modulation
occurs in the digital domain and the MAX5186/
MAX5189’s dual DACs may be used to reconstruct the
analog I and Q components.
The I/Q reconstruction system is completed by a quad-
rature modulator that combines the reconstructed I and
Q components with in-phase and quadrature carrier
frequencies and then sums both outputs to provide the
QAM signal.