**HMC839LP6CETR: A 3 GHz Fractional-N PLL with Integrated VCO for High-Performance RF and Microwave Applications**

The relentless drive for higher data rates, improved spectral purity, and greater integration in wireless and test equipment demands advanced frequency synthesis solutions. The **HMC839LP6CETR** from Analog Devices stands as a pivotal component in this landscape, offering a fully integrated **Fractional-N Phase-Locked Loop (PLL)** and **Voltage-Controlled Oscillator (VCO)** designed to meet the stringent requirements of modern high-performance RF and microwave applications.

At its core, the HMC839LP6CETR integrates a high-performance PLL core with a low-noise VCO operating at a fundamental frequency of 3 GHz. This integration eliminates the need for external VCOs and complex matching networks, significantly simplifying board design, reducing the overall component count, and minimizing the physical footprint. The **fractional-N architecture** is a key enabler of its performance, allowing for exceptionally fine frequency resolution—far smaller than the phase detector comparison frequency. This capability is critical for applications requiring precise channel spacing and agile frequency hopping without sacrificing loop bandwidth or switching speed.

The device excels in generating clean, stable local oscillator (LO) signals. It achieves an outstanding **phase noise performance** of -226 dBc/Hz normalized in-band and -158 dBc/Hz at 1 MHz offset, which is paramount for minimizing bit error rates in communication systems and improving measurement accuracy in test instrumentation. Furthermore, its integrated **low-noise regulator** helps in suppressing power supply noise, a common contributor to phase degradation, ensuring superior spectral purity.

Designed for versatility, the HMC839LP6CETR supports a wide output frequency range from 62.5 MHz to 6.0 GHz, made possible through an integrated divide-by-1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, or 64 circuit. This flexibility allows a single device to serve multiple frequency bands and applications, from cellular infrastructure (4G/5G), microwave backhaul, and military communications to aerospace and test & measurement systems like spectrum and signal analyzers. Control is streamlined via a serial peripheral interface (SPI), enabling easy programming of all PLL and output divider settings.

In conclusion, the HMC839LP6CETR represents a highly integrated and performance-optimized solution for modern frequency synthesis. By combining a low-noise fractional-N PLL, a high-frequency VCO, and flexible output dividers in a single 6x6 mm LP6 package, it provides designers with a powerful tool to achieve high performance while accelerating development time and enhancing system reliability.

**ICGOODFIND:** The HMC839LP6CETR is a top-tier, fully integrated 3 GHz fractional-N PLL with VCO, celebrated for its exceptional phase noise, fine frequency resolution, and design simplification for demanding RF and microwave systems.

**Keywords:** Fractional-N PLL, Integrated VCO, Phase Noise, Frequency Synthesis, RF Microwave Applications.