Front-End Ultrasound IC Targets Portable Imaging Applications

A low-power, octal, ultrasound front-end IC with integrated mixer-based CWD (continuous-wave Doppler) beamformer targets high-channel-count, cart-based and portable ultrasound medical imaging applications. It combines an active-input-termination LNA, VGA, anti-alias filter, and I/Q mixer CWD beamformer in one monolithic device. The MAX2078 can achieve a full receiver noise figure of only 2.4 dB with a 200-ohm input impedance termination, while consuming less than 65 mW per channel. Cascaded output-referred noise is rated at 23 nV/RtHz. The device boasts a large-signal SNR of 140 dBc/Hz at 1 kHz from a 5-MHz clutter signal. The MAX2078 is available in a lead-free 64-TQFP package. A MAX2077*, with the same functionality and specifications as the MAX2078 but without the CWD beamformer, is available in both a pin-compatible lead-free 64-TQFP and a space-saving 56-TQFN package. Pricing in 1000-unit lots starts at $47.50 for the MAX2078 and $34.30 for the MAX2077. MAXIM INTEGRATED PRODUCTS, Sunnyvale, CA. (800) 998-8800.