SiGe Semiconductor Introduces Paper-Thin Wi-Fi® Power Amplifier
SiGe Semiconductor, Inc. announced the introduction of what the company claims is the world's thinnest power amplifier for Wi-Fi® systems. The RangeCharger™ SE2523BU delivers SiGe's dependable performance and power efficiency in a new paper-thin package with a profile of just 0.5mm. The ultra-thin design also reduces power consumption by 25%, making it well-suited for embedding Wi-Fi capability into portable, battery-powered consumer electronics.
The SE2523BU is the newest addition to the company's SE2523x series of power amplifiers, announced last year. The device addresses the growing demand for embedded Wi-Fi capability in portable consumer electronics, including PDAs, VoWi-Fi handsets, cameras, cellular handsets, computer peripherals, and automotive devices.
"Wi-Fi technology has gained widespread consumer acceptance, and now users expect the convenience of wireless to go beyond their laptop computer," said Andrew Parolin, Director of Wireless Data Products, SiGe Semiconductor. "With our new power amplifier, SiGe is enabling manufacturers to embed Wi-Fi in a host of new applications while still meeting requirements for shrinking form factors, long battery life and low cost."
The SE2523BU is a 2.4GHz power amplifier that integrates digital enable circuitry, a robust power detector and biasing circuitry in a miniature 16-pin 3 x 3 x 0.5 mm QFN package. The SE2523BU features +18.5dBm power output with EVM of 2.5% while operating in 802.11g mode. All ACPR requirements are met while operating at +23dBm output power in 802.11b mode. The integrated power detector improves stability of wireless transmissions, since it is highly immune to mismatch: less than 1.5dB of variation with a 2:1 mismatch. The power detector offers two selectable power detector slopes, allowing it to be used with multiple chipsets. Also incorporated on chip is digital enable control circuitry, which eases design by allowing the device to be connected directly to a CMOS baseband or transceiver.
Based on an efficient silicon germanium architecture, the SE2523BU ensures a low current draw of just 130 mA at +18.5 dBm output power, operating from a single 3.3 V supply. This is about 25% less than existing solutions. The combination of performance and power efficiency is well-suited for battery powered devices. The SE2523BU is in production now, priced at US $.79 in 10k unit quantities.
