SiGe's Slender Wi-Fi Power Amp Extends Battery Life

\[August 14, 2006\] Introduced as the world's thinnest power amplifier for Wi-Fi systems, the RangeCharger SE2523BU sports a meager profile of 0.5 mm and reportedly reduces power consumption by 25%, making it a prime contender for battery-powered designs. A 2.4-GHz power amplifier, the chip squeezes digital enable circuitry, a power detector, and biasing circuitry into a 16-pin, 3 mm x 3 mm x 0.5 mm QFN package. It delivers an output of +18.5 dBm with a 2.5% EVM while operating in 802.11g mode. All ACPR requirements are met while providing an output of +23 dBm in 802.11b mode. The power detector ensures less than 1.5 dB of variation with a 2:1 mismatch and offers two selectable power-detector slopes, allowing support for multiple chipsets. Other features include a current draw of 130 mA at +18.5 dBm and 3.3V operation. Price is $0.79 each/10,000. SIGE SEMICONDUCTOR INC., Ontario, Canada. (613) 820-9244.