Avago Technologies introduces several new wireless applications

     Avago Technologies announced the launch of several new wireless applications designed for macro and small cell base stations and portable GPS system applications. Allen Chien, product manager, Wireless Applications, Avago, said: "Driven by the ubiquity of connectivity and the high growth of cellular communications, picocell and femtocell base stations can reduce the burden on macro cells in heterogeneous networks consisting of macro and small cell sites. "With our industry-leading products and technologies for mobile phone and base station applications, Avago introduces new products that deliver higher performance and simplify system design by integrating functions that previously had to be provided by external chips, saving board space and power."

     The MGA-43x28 series power amplifiers provide the final stage of gain for micro and enterprise nanosystems, delivering 34 to 40dB gains and high power additional efficiencies of 15 to 13.8 percent. These power amplifiers have a three-stage design and operate at a 5V supply voltage with an output power of 27.3dBm to achieve an excellent linearity of 50dBc Adjacent Channel Leakage Ratio (ALCR).
The MGA-43428, MGA-43528 and MGA-43628 amplifiers are designed for 3GPP bands 5, 2/25 and 1, respectively, all of which use Avago's 0.25μm GaAs Enhanced Mode pHEMT process. A detector circuit block is integrated on the chip, and the amplifier is in a 5mm x 5mm package, which can save 50% of the footprint compared to competitive products.

     The MGA-16x16 series of balanced ultra-low noise amplifiers contain integrated active bias and shutdown functions, making them the ideal solution for mobile communications infrastructure applications such as base station transceiver cards, remote radio heads, tower top amplifiers and base station combinators. These balanced Lnas provide excellent return loss characteristics (S11, minimum 18dB), resulting in improved signal quality and low noise figures of up to 0.25dB at 900MHz. The first three members of the series, the MGA-16116, MGA-16216 and MGA-16316, are designed for the 450-1450 MHZ, 1440-2350 MHZ and 1950-2700 MHZ bands, respectively.

     Building on Avago's long-standing leadership in LNA noise figures and linearity in mobile base stations, these amplifiers offer excellent gain of 18.5dB and offer twice the linearity of competing products at 19.1dB at 900MHz. The DC voltage connected to the control pin can shut down and bypass the amplifier when the system has sufficient signal strength. Thus avoiding excessive amplification and signal distortion.

     Avago this week also introduced a filter +LNA module that simplifies portable navigation systems and embedded GPS/GNSS systems in tablets and mobile phones. The AGPS-F001 integrates Avago's patented FBAR filter and low-noise GaAs E-pHEMT amplifier in a single package. Continue to maintain Avago's leading position in integrated LNA/ filter solutions for GPS applications. This combination brings high rejection capability in the Cell/DCS/PCS/WLAN band, ranging from 43dBc to 53dBc depending on the signal band, and the OOB IIP3 linearity is also 10dBm higher than competing products.

     The AGPS-F001 has a typical noise figure of 1.7dB, the noise figure distribution is tightly controlled to ensure consistent performance across different devices, and the CMOS compatible switch pin allows the AGPS-F001 to be turned off when necessary, reducing current consumption to less than 1μA. Under normal operating conditions, this filter/amplifier combination consumes 5.5mA current from a 2.7V supply and provides a gain of 16.5dB at 1.575GHz.

     All amplifiers and filter/amplifier products are available in small lead-free packages, with the MGA-16x16 series in a 4 x 4 x 0.85 mm 16-point QFN package and the MGA-43x28 series in a 5 x 5 x1 mm 28-point QFN package. The AGPS-F001 is available in a 2.3 x 1.7 x 0.9 mm 6-contact QFN package, with all devices available for demo in June and volume production expected in the fourth quarter of 2012.

     The power amplifier and filter /LNA products will be demonstrated live at the Avago booth at the IMS2012 conference in Montreal, Canada, along with many previously launched wireless applications including gain blocks, LNA, E-pHEMT, FBAR filters, WaferCap wafer-level packages, and various integrated modules.