MAX7034
315MHz/434MHz ASK Superheterodyne
Receiver
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on the tank filter center frequency. The total parasitic 
capacitance is generally between 4pF and 6pF.
Mixer
A unique feature of the MAX7034 is the integrated 
image rejection of the mixer. This device eliminates the 
need for a costly front-end SAW filter for most applications. Advantages of not using a SAW filter are 
increased sensitivity, simplified antenna matching, less 
board space, and lower cost.
The mixer cell is a pair of double balanced mixers that 
perform an IQ downconversion of the RF input to the
10.7MHz IF from a low-side injected LO (i.e., fLO= fRFfIF). The image-rejection circuit then combines these 
signals to achieve 44dB of image rejection. Low-side 
injection is required due to the on-chip image-rejection 
architecture. The IF output is driven by a source follower biased to create a driving-point impedance of 330Ω; 
this provides a good match to the off-chip 330Ω ceram- 
ic IF filter.
The IRSEL pin is a logic input that selects one of the 
three possible image-rejection frequencies. When V
IRSEL
= 0V, the image rejection is tuned to 315MHz. V
IRSEL
= 
DVDD/2 tunes the image rejection to 375MHz, and 
V
IRSEL
= DVDDtunes the image rejection to 434MHz. 
The IRSEL pin is internally set to DVDD/2 (image rejection 
at 375MHz) when it is left unconnected, thereby eliminating the need for an external DVDD/2 voltage.
Phase-Locked Loop
The PLL block contains a phase detector, charge 
pump, integrated loop filter, VCO, asynchronous 64x 
clock divider, and crystal oscillator driver. Besides the 
crystal, this PLL does not require any external components. The VCO generates a low-side LO. The relationship between the RF, IF, and reference frequencies is 
given by:
where:
M = 1 (V
XTALSEL
= DVDD) or 2 (V
XTALSEL
= 0V)
To allow the smallest possible IF bandwidth (for best sensitivity), minimize the tolerance of the reference crystal.
Intermediate Frequency and RSSI
The IF section presents a differential 330Ω load to provide matching for the off-chip ceramic filter. The six 
internal AC-coupled limiting amplifiers produce an 
overall gain of approximately 65dB, with a bandpassfilter-type response centered near the 10.7MHz IF frequency with a 3dB bandwidth of approximately 10MHz.
The RSSI circuit demodulates the IF by producing a DC 
output proportional to the log of the IF signal level, with 
a slope of approximately 14.2mV/dB.
Applications Information
Crystal Oscillator
The crystal oscillator in the MAX7034 is designed to 
present a capacitance of approximately 3pF between 
the XTAL1 and XTAL2. If a crystal designed to oscillate 
with a different load capacitance is used, the crystal is 
pulled away from its intended operating frequency, 
introducing an error in the reference frequency. 
Crystals designed to operate with higher differential 
load capacitance always pull the reference frequency 
higher. For example, a 4.7547MHz crystal designed to 
operate with a 10pF load capacitance oscillates at
4.7563MHz with the MAX7034, causing the receiver to 
be tuned to 315.1MHz rather than 315.0MHz, an error 
of about 100kHz, or 320ppm. It is very important to
use a crystal with a load capacitance that is equal to 
the capacitance of the MAX7034 crystal oscillator 
plus PCB parasitics.
In actuality, the oscillator pulls every crystal. The crystal’s natural frequency is really below its specified frequency, but when loaded with the specified load 
capacitance, the crystal is pulled and oscillates at its 
specified frequency. This pulling is already accounted 
for in the specification of the load capacitance. 
Additional pulling can be calculated if the electrical 
parameters of the crystal are known. The frequency 
pulling is given by:
where:
fP is the amount the crystal frequency pulled in ppm.
CMis the motional capacitance of the crystal.
C
CASE
is the case capacitance.
C
SPEC
is the specified load capacitance.
C
LOAD
is the actual load capacitance.
When the crystal is loaded as specified (i.e., C
LOAD 
=
C
SPEC
), the frequency pulling equals zero.
It is possible to use an external reference oscillator in 
place of a crystal to drive the VCO. AC-couple the external oscillator to XTAL2 with a 1000pF capacitor. Drive 
XTAL2 with a signal level of approximately 500mV
P-P
.
AC-couple XTAL1 to ground with a 1000pF capacitor.