Ideal mixers
This is a modeling exercise. I wanted to understand better what are the differences between various mixer configurations.
How much attenuation and how source resistance will change. I had a direct conversion SSB and CW receiver in mind when doing this.
I modeled multiple mixer configurations with almost ideal switches. See the summary and its links below.
Local oscillator signal was square wave and switches ideal relays with 1ohm on-resistance and 1megaohm off-resistance.
Analog CMOS-switches today come close to these ideal switches except on-resistance is still higher.
The results of each mixer  type are summarized on respective pages. I have listed  
change of source resistance, or mixer output resistance in comparison to RF generators source resistance 
mixer voltage gain when mixer load resistance is infinite
total power gain, dB-sum of those two
Summary
      Voltage gain Change of source Total power gain Theoretical voltage 
Mixer configuration infinite load resist. resistance   gain, infinite load
    on/off-ratio dB   multiplier dB dB   dB  
           
Clamp 50/50 -4.0   2 -3.1 -7.1 -3.922  
Serial 50/50 -4.0   2 -3.1 -7.1 -3.922  
Serial 25/75 -1.0   4 -6.1 -7.1 -0.912  
 as a quadrature mixer 4 x 25/75 5.0 to I and Q 8 -9.1 -4.1 to I and Q 5.108  
Serial 12.5/87.5 -0.3   8 -9.1 -9.4 -0.224  
Push-pull 2 x 50/50 -3.9   1 -0.1 -4.0 -3.922  
 as a quadrature mixer 4 x 25/75 5.0 to I and Q 8 -9.1 -4.1 to I and Q 5.108  
Doubler 2 x 50/50 2.1   4 -6.1 -4.0 2.098  
Doubler 2 x 25/75 5.1   8 -9.1 -4.1 5.108  
Doubler 2 x 12.5/87.5 5.8   16 -12.1 -6.4 5.796  
                     
Conclusions
Cutting LO duty cycle to half doubles mixer source (output) resistance.
Shortening LO duty cycle increases voltage gain, mixer becomes more like a peak detector.
Conversion gain of a mixer remains almost constant between 50/50 and 25/75 on/off-ratios.
Therefore it is possible to get better conversion gain in a quadarature mixer than in basic mixer by combining 
the outputs in a proper way.
In case of quadrature mixer, push-pull configuration do not provide any improvement over serial mixer. 
Voltage attenuation of serial switch mixer is defined by integral over switch on-time divided by on-time in radians.
Calculations were done after the modeling and are shown on a separate page. The results are shown in the summary above.
How much distortion then ? That was not analyzed here but could be another exercise some day..
Pekka, OH1TV 24.12.2009
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