Ultra Low Noise SiGe Amplifiers Operate At 2.5 GHz

Operating from a 2.7V to 5.5V supply while drawing only 3.4 mA, two new silicon-germanium (SiGe), low-noise amplifiers (LNAs) are said to outperform GaAs LNAs at silicon prices. MAX2640 SiGe amplifier is optimized for applications in the 400 to 1500 MHz range with a typical gain of 15.1 dB and noise figure of 0.9 dB on a fully matched LNA at 900 MHz. In contrast, MAX2641 is optimized for 1400 to 2500 MHz with a typical gain of 14.4 dB and a noise figure of 1.3 dB on a fully matched LNA at 1900 MHz. Applications for the ICs include cell phones, GPS receivers, wireless LANs, and more.