Welcome to the Analog Devices Differential Circuit Design Techniques for Communication Applications product training module. This module discusses the performance and merits of differential signal chains, specifically in the context of 3G and 4G wireless cellular applications. One of the major challenges in communications system design is the successful capture of signals with adequate fidelity. Strict standard specifications call for proper interface topology selection. Deployment of communication standards for cellular telephony, such as code division multiple access (CDMA) and wideband CDMA, require high dynamic range, high input linearity and low noise in order to avoid the effects of blockers, signal distortion, and sensitivity degradation. In the past, the performance advantages of fully differential signal chains were trumped by single-ended options due to practical application issues. However, recent advances in integrated RF circuit technology and expansions of available high performance differential RF building blocks allow differential architectures to be applied to high performance receiver designs.