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Avago Intros a Series of High-Power Switch Low-Noise Amplifier Modules
By Anshu Shrivastava TMCnet Contributor
Avago Technologies, a supplier of analog interface components for communications, industrial and consumer applications, has announced a series of high-power switch low-noise amplifier (LNA) modules.
These modules are dedicated for use in front-end receiver designs of TD-SCDMA and TD-LTE (News - Alert) base transceiver station (BTS) applications, according to company officials.
Replacing existing three-piece discrete solutions, the new small-footprint ALM-12x24 modules provide significant board space savings that is critical for BTS designs with 8 transceiver channels in a single radio card.
Moreover, the fully-matched solutions shorten design cycle time since they eliminate the need for tuning with external matching circuitry. Company officials said that the modules deliver “best-in-class noise” performance, high-gain and high linearity from a compact package.
In an 8-mm-by-8-mm package, Avago ALM-12x24 LNA modules combine a high-power 50W Single Pole, Double Throw (SPDT) switch, a first-stage LNA and a second-stage high-linearity amplifier, said company officials.
The SPDT switch is constructed with an Avago PIN diode, and it prevents the LNA from damage by high-power signals that potentially leak over from the transmit chain in conditions where the antenna is mismatched.
Leveraging the company’s proprietary 0.25 µm GaAs Enhancement-mode pHEMT process, the LNA and high-linearity amplifier achieve robust RF performance, said company officials.
The ALM-12124 module covers 1880-2025 MHz with 0.80 dB NF and 36.4 dBm (News - Alert) OIP3 typical performance at 1900 MHz in receiver mode, while ALM-12224 module covers 2300-2400 MHz with 0.99 dB NF and 38.5 dBm OIP3 typical performance at 2400 MHz in receiver mode.
Additional ALM-12x24 product features include 50 dB isolation between the first and second stage amplifiers to enable external addition of an attenuator or RF filter without affecting the overall module performance; high power handling capability of 47.5 dBm; low distortion silicon PIN diode technology; and MSL2a rating and lead-free package
Recently, Avago announced a complete RF front-end module (FEM) for WiMAX (News - Alert) radios in mobile handset or portable PC applications.
Anshu Shrivastava is a contributing editor for TMCnet. To read more of Anshu’s articles, please visit her columnist page.
Edited by Chris DiMarco
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