Quadrature switching mixer with reduced leakage

A method for mixing RF and local oscillator signals while rejecting an image signal associated with the RF signal, said method comprising the steps of:

• processing said RF signal to provide corresponding in-phase (I) and quadrature (Q) input components;
• coupling said I input component through a first input path to a first plurality of switching devices in a configuration of switching devices, and coupling said Q input component through a second input path to a second plurality of switching devices in said configuration of switching devices;
• operating each of said switching devices to multiply its received I or Q input component with a respective I or Q component of said local oscillator signal to generate I and Q output signals;
• and
• placing a unidirectional device in each of said input paths for preventing a portion of one of said output signals from passing backward through one of said input paths into the other one of said input paths.