Airfast RF power LDMOS devices break the 50 percent Doherty efficiency barrier

TAMPA BAY, Fla. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — June 2, 2014 — RF power industry leader Freescale Semiconductor (NYSE: FSL) is introducing its second generation of Airfast™ RF power solutions, delivering a new level of performance for advanced wireless infrastructure equipment, including GSM/UMTS, CDMA/W-CDMA, LTE, and TD-LTE applications.

Freescale’s newest Airfast family of RF power solutions builds on the success and proven performance of the previous generation, which was comprised of 28V discrete, single-stage power amplifiers. Leveraging and enhancing first-generation Airfast circuitry, die, matching network and packaging technologies, Freescale has reached another industry milestone with the next generation of Airfast technology, which includes the first production RF power LDMOS parts to achieve 50 percent efficiency in a Doherty configuration. Additionally, second-generation Airfast power amplifiers expand the portfolio’s breadth to include two-stage integrated circuits, incorporating multiple gain stages in a single package; as well as adding new offerings based on gallium nitride (GaN) and 48V LDMOS process technology.

The new devices are complemented by a broad array of customer solutions and support. Application-specific reference designs give customers a head start in designing and developing a wide range of common systems with configuration and development instructions.

“The second generation of Airfast solutions raises the bar for performance, efficiency and speed-to-market for our customers," said Paul Hart, senior vice president and general manager for Freescale’s RF group. “As the industry leader in RF power amplifiers, our new devices push the envelope across cellular standards and extend Freescale’s innovation to new levels in the wireless market.”

Product Details

The initial second-generation Airfast products include:

• A2T07H310-24S – 300W asymmetrical Doherty transistor for wireless infrastructure applications in the 720-960 MHz frequency band. In a Doherty configuration, this device breaks the 50 percent efficiency barrier at 8 dB back-off with 55 dBm peak power and 18.9 dB gain in a NI-1230S-4L2L package.
• A2T07D160W04S – 160W dual-path transistor for wireless infrastructure applications in the 728-960 MHz frequency band. In Doherty configuration, this device has 51 percent efficiency at 7 dB output back-off with 52.5 dBm peak power and over 21.5 dB of gain in a NI-780S-4L package.
• A2T26H160-24S – 160W RF asymmetrical Doherty transistor for wireless infrastructure applications in the 2496-2690 MHz frequency band. In a Doherty configuration, this device has 47 percent efficiency at 8 dB back-off with 52.5 dBm peak power and 15.7 dB gain in a NI-780S-4L2L package.
• A2I25D012N – 12W RF integrated circuit for wireless infrastructure applications in the 2300-2690 MHz frequency band. In Doherty configuration, this device has 41 percent efficiency at 8 dB output back-off with 43.5 dBm peak power and 29 dB gain in a new TO-270WB-15 plastic package.
• A2I22D050N – 50W RF integrated circuit for wireless infrastructure applications in the 2000-2200 MHz frequency band. In Doherty configuration, this device has 42 percent efficiency at 8 dB output back-off with 49 dBm peak power and 28 dB gain in a new TO-270WB-15 plastic package.

About Airfast RF power solutions

Airfast RF power solutions are designed to simultaneously meet the challenges of increased efficiency, peak power and signal bandwidth, while addressing persistent pressure to reduce costs. The products offer outstanding performance and energy efficiency, and incorporate a range of process technologies including LDMOS, GaAs and GaN.

Pricing and availability

Please contact your local Freescale sales representative for pricing information and to inquire about advance sampling. For more information on Freescale RF power LDMOS solutions, please visit www.freescale.com/RFpower.

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About Freescale Semiconductor

Freescale Semiconductor (NYSE: FSL) is a global leader in embedded processing solutions, providing industry-leading products that are advancing the automotive, consumer, industrial and networking markets. From microprocessors and microcontrollers to sensors, analog integrated circuits and connectivity – our technologies are the foundation for the innovations that make our world greener, safer, healthier and more connected. Some of our key applications and end-markets include automotive safety, hybrid and all-electric vehicles, next generation wireless infrastructure, smart energy management, portable medical devices, consumer appliances and smart mobile devices. The company is based in Austin, Texas, and has design, research and development, manufacturing and sales operations around the world.  www.freescale.com