Agilent Technologies' Breakthrough Power-Amplifier Process to Improve CDMA Mobile Phone Battery Life Up to 15 Percent
Source: Agilent Technologies
Company to Introduce Power Modules for CDMA and GSM Handsets
Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE:A) today announced a breakthrough power semiconductor process for wireless applications. Agilent expects this technology to enable radio-frequency transistors and power-amplifier modules to meet and exceed the tough design requirements of mobile phone applications.
Multi-band phones and third-generation (3G) mobile phones will incorporate many new features, putting even more stress on design, performance and battery life. The significant improvement in efficiency of Agilent s new power-amplifier process will improve CDMA mobile phone battery life by up to 15 percent, or allow for smaller batteries, which will make room for new features.
"Major handset manufacturers have shown strong interest in our E-pHEMT(1) technology, and we are in active discussions with them today," said Dave Allen, vice president and general manager of Agilent s Wireless Semiconductor Division. "We are now transferring this process, developed at Agilent Laboratories, into the high-volume manufacturing environment."
The first product using this process will be a high dynamic range transistor, scheduled for introduction in November 2000. Agilent expects its E-pHEMT power amplifiers, currently under development, to offer higher performance than both today s GaAs(2) HBT(3) amplifiers and future products based on next-generation InGaP(4) HBT technology.
In the first quarter of 2001, Agilent plans to introduce E-pHEMT power modules into its CDMAdvantage RF chipset, which also includes space-saving FBAR(5) filtering products. With the E-pHEMT and FBAR products, Agilent will offer solutions for two of the most important issues facing cellular phone manufacturers: battery life and product size. Agilent is also developing a series of amplifiers for the GSM standard, planned for introduction in the first quarter of 2001. Agilent anticipates that E-pHEMT performance will create rapid growth for the technology in GSM phone applications.
Further information on Agilent s RF semiconductor products may be found on the Web at www.agilent.com/view/rf/.
About Agilent Technologies
Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE:A) is a diversified technology company, resulting from Hewlett-Packard Company s plan to strategically realign itself into two fully independent companies. With approximately 46,000 employees serving customers in more than 120 countries, Agilent Technologies is a global leader in designing and manufacturing test, measurement and monitoring instruments, systems and solutions, and semiconductor and optical components. The company serves markets that include communications, electronics, life sciences and healthcare. In fiscal year 1999, the businesses comprising Agilent, then a subsidiary of HP, had net revenue of more than $8.3 billion.
Information about Agilent Technologies can be found on the Web at www.agilent.com. This news release contains forward-looking statements, including without limitation statements relating to the timing and availability of Agilent s future product offerings, that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause results of Agilent Technologies to differ materially from management s current expectations. These risks are detailed in Agilent s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended October 31, 1999, and its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended July 31, 2000, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. (1) Enhancement-mode pseudomorphic (2) Gallium arsenide (3) Heterojunction bipolar transistor (4) Indium gallium phosphide (5) Film bulk acoustic resonator Contact: Agilent Technologies, Inc., Palo Alto Northe Osbrink Tel: 408/654-8792 northe_osbrink@agilent.com
Agilent Technologies, Inc., Palo AltoNorthe Osbrink
Tel: 408/654-8792
northe_osbrink@agilent.com
E-mail: northe_osbrink@agilent.com
Web site: http://www.agilent.com
