US : WJ Communications launched a new family of next-generation high efficiency RF power amplifier modules, utilizing the industry’s first 28V InGaP HBT (GaAs) process technology, to achieve high performance and outstanding linearity across the 800 – 2200 MHz frequency range. The AP601, AP602, and AP603 enable cellular base station system designers to solve their biggest challenge, to reduce power consumption while maintaining a high performance level.

“We are extremely excited of this major milestone, which demonstrates how technology leadership can be leveraged into product leadership. One of the biggest challenges facing OEMs today is how to effectively achieve higher performance at the same fixed power level, throughout their system architectures,” said Morteza Saidi, vice president of engineering for WJ Communications. “The launch of the AP60x product portfolio brings the capabilities of our RF power amplifier design expertise coupled with our InGaP HBT (GaAs) process technology to the next level, providing cellular base station designers with a cost-effective approach to meet the power and efficiency requirements of the next-generation communication infrastructure systems.”

Product Overview

The AP601, AP602, and AP603 power amplifiers are developed on WJ Communications’ proprietary 28V InGaP HBT (GaAs) process.

With superior linearity and efficiency performance, the AP60x products are well suited for driver stage applications in wireless infrastructure equipment such as cellular base station, power amplifier boards and repeaters. In addition to the superior performance there are several key features such as the integrated active bias circuit and adjustable quiescent bias that provide greater flexibility for designers.

Value Proposition

Utilizing WJ’s RF expertise and leadership position in developing pre-driver and small signal amplifiers combined with the partnerships with leading edge technology companies, WJ has developed the AP60x products to fill a void in the market space for driver stage power amplifiers that offer a high level of linearity and efficiency while operating off 28V supply.

By heeding to customers’ needs and applying WJ’s knowledge in wireless infrastructure systems, the AP60x is an ideal solution for the demanding requirements of 3G applications. The AP60x power amplifiers serve the 1W to 10W driver stage that has long been neglected and provides a fresh outlook into the market that demands high performance with a low total cost of ownership. The AP60x products also significantly lower the total cost of ownership by housing it in a plastic package, 5x6mm 14-lead DFN package, which enables the use of standard surface mount technology (SMT) to place the products onto a printed circuit board (PCB). Unlike other power amplifiers in the market today, heat sinks or cut-outs on the PCB are not needed because of the higher efficiencies and thus lower operating currents which results in less heat dissipated. This feature provides more value to wireless infrastructure equipment makers since they do not need to do any post manual assembly work. The following are the key features of the AP60x power amplifiers:

-- High Linearity

-- AP60x provides excellent linearity and the linearity will rapidly improve below - 50dBc as power is backed-off


-- 3G protocols such as WCDMA, CDMA2000 and TDS-CDMA require a high level of performance especially for linearity

-- High Efficiency

-- Higher efficiencies result in less power consumed and heat dissipated which enables designers meet or come in well under their current budgets

-- Integrated Active Bias Circuitry

-- Compensates for variations in linearity and current draw over temperature

-- Provides further improvement on linearity with this integrated circuit

-- Competing LDMOS solutions require external bias circuitry which increases costs and PCB space

-- Adjustable Quiescent Bias

-- Enables designer to adjust quiescent bias pin on AP60x products to configure for better linearity, higher efficiency or a combination of the two

-- Provides designer even greater flexibility to meet demanding system requirements

--
High Voltage Supply

-- Useable over 24V to 32V supply range

-- Operates off the same voltage supply as final stage power amplifier

-- Reduces component count - no switching regulators and supporting components are needed thus reducing costs and PCB space

-- DFN Package


-- 5x6mm plastic package

-- Standard SMT process and requires no manual assembly, PCB cut-outs or heat sinks

-- RoHS and lead-free compliant

-- Simplifies PCB Layout

-- AP60x products designed to simplify PCB layout since it uses 50(omega) input and output impedance traces


-- Competing LDMOS solutions have complex input and output impedance traces which make it difficult and time consuming to optimize performance for the system

-- Also results in smaller PCB footprint for an AP60x solution

Positive Market Feedback

WJ has sampled the AP60x products and evaluation boards to key strategic customers over the past 3 months. The feedback from customers has been overwhelmingly positive and they appreciate the superior linearity performance and were impressed that the further the device was backed-off, the linearity proved to be even better. Additionally, the ability to configure the AP60x products for linearity, efficiency or combination of the two parameters was seen as an excellent feature enabling designers the flexibility to meet their system requirements.

Price and Availability

The AP60x series and their respective evaluation boards are sampling now and it will be in full production beginning November 9, 2006. For pricing information, please contact your local sales representative at sales@wj.com or 408-577-6200.

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