RF ICs Operate At Low Voltages

Built with GaAs heterojunction bipolar transistor (GaAs HBT) technology, six new broadband RF ICs are designed for applications in the 500 to 3000 MHz range operating from as little as 3V. They include a high-isolation limiting amplifier, a variable gain amplifier, a driver, an LNA/down-converter and two up-converters. Developed to optimize wireless system performance in high-frequency, low-power environment such as handheld portable, battery operated applications, these devices offer high efficiency, excellent linearity and power-down capability, along with low substrate signal crosstalk and simple bias requirements from a single positive power supply. The devices come in low-cost SMT packages and will find uses in a wide range of communications systems including ISM Band, Spread Spectrum, GSM, AMPS, cellular, TDMA, CDMA, MMDS and WLL.