News Article
TriQuint uses InGaP / GaAs HBT technology to halve PA board space
With this board space reduction, network infrastructure OEMs can reduce the size of radio systems and their bills of materials
TriQuint Semiconductor has revealed its first integrated power amplifier solution for ‘small cell’ and active antenna base stations that dramatically reduces board space while delivering high efficiency.
Small cell solutions are key components in 3G/4G mobile networks including LTE.
TriQuint’s integrated small cell PA, the TGA2450-SM, is the first in a family serving all key mobile infrastructure frequency bands. It incorporates a Doherty final stage delivering high power added efficiency of 35 percent for the entire module at 2.5 W average power. The TGA2450-SM supports multi-mode and multicarrier signals. The module incorporates InGaP/GaAs HBT device technology to provide a combination of high efficiency and Data Processing Design friendliness.
As the name implies, ‘small cell’ radio systems have deliberately-defined coverage areas that can improve connectivity where it is most needed. The radio transceivers in these systems are smaller by design to support indoor or outdoor deployment as required. By significantly reducing board space, network infrastructure OEMs can reduce the size of radio systems and their bills of materials.
“The market trend is towards more densely-packed, smaller radio links - small cells. TriQuint’s highly-integrated solution offers the flexibility to support our customers’ emerging designs. Our product family uses only half the space of traditional discrete parts,” says Infrastructure and Defense Products Vice President and General Manager, James L. Klein.
Noted infrastructure researcher Earl J. Lum reports that small cell and active antenna solutions will be a growing part of infrastructure and future heterogeneous networks supporting faster 3G/4G data rates.
“Highly integrated power amplifier solutions such as the TGA2450-SM and filtering technology offered by TriQuint support additional network capacity, higher efficiency systems and reduced system BOMs. The overall LTE outdoor microcell market is expected to begin high volume shipments in 2014 and reach USD $1.8 billion by 2017,” adds Earl J. Lum, President of EJL Wireless Research.
New Base Station TGA2450-SMPower Amplifier Module Details:
Samples and evaluation fixtures of the new power amplifier are available.
The new power amplifier and other integrated solutions for base station, networks and defence applications will be displayed at Stand 130/141d during the European Microwave Week exhibition, taking place from October 8th to 10th, 2013 in the Nuremberg Convention Centre, Germany.