Single-Chip Bluetooth LSI Integrates RF And Baseband Circuits

A new single-chip Bluetooth LSI, designated the TC35654, integrates both RF and baseband circuits The chip employs a 0.18 µm CMOS process technology for the RF circuit instead of the usual bipolar process technology. According to the company, applying the same process technology to both the baseband and RF circuits has resulted in an LSI that requires fewer external components. RF functions include a 2.4 GHz low noise amplifier, mixer, voltage-controlled oscillator and power amplifier, while the baseband function conforms to Bluetooth version 1.1. The chip is housed in a 7 mm x 7 mm, 113-pin plastic wireless frequency land grid array (PWFLGA) and measures just 0.8 mm in height. Since the new LSI incorporates Bluetooth core circuit technology licensed from Nokia, it is expected to have highly reliable interoperability among multiple Bluetooth-enabled platforms. Engineering samples of the TC35654 are scheduled to be available in February 2003 with a price of $5 each/100,000. TOSHIBA AMERICA ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS INC., Irvine, CA. (800) 879-4963.