1999-06-07 , S/IC-2049/46
Product News From Philips Semiconductors

Advanced BiCMOS IC meets performance targets, saves power

Philips Semiconductors, a leading global supplier of radio frequency (RF) semiconductors, today announced availability of the SA3600, a highly integrated low power RF front-end receiver IC. The SA3600 targets the coming wave of dual-band, multi-mode digital cellular phones. According to Dataquest, more than 95% of the cellular phones produced worldwide in 2001 will be digital, with the majority supporting dual-band operation.

The SA3600 low-voltage RF receiver front-end integrates 800 MHz cellular and 1900 MHz PCS-band low noise amplifiers (LNAs) and down conversion mixers. The on-chip local oscillator (LO) frequency doubler, input/output buffer amplifiers, matching circuitry and control mode logic reduces external glue components. "By integrating all the key RF functions in a single chip, the SA3600 provides a complete dual-band receiver solution that saves board space and design time," explained Craig Conkling, product marketing manager, Business Line Cellular at Philips Semiconductors. "Cellular phones continue to shrink in size and cost while maintaining the required performance at low-voltage. The SA3600 helps designers meet these objectives."

The cellular-band LNA and mixer consume 10 mA from 2.7 volt supply. The PCS-band LNA and mixer consume 14 mA, which is 35% less power than the existing best-in-class gallium arsenide (GaAs) RF front-end ICs. This power saving translates directly into greater standby time in mobile phones.

Excellent RF performance is achieved with Philips Semiconductors' advanced QUBiC2 (20 GHz f_T) BiCMOS process. At 881 MHz, the LNA and mixer, with external interstage SAW filter, provide 24 dB of gain, 2.6 dB noise figure, and -10.5 dBm input IP3. At 1960 MHz, the equivalent PCS line up provides 22 dB of gain, 3.1 dB noise figure, and -10.4 dBm input IP3. The SA3600 provides the gain, noise figure and linearity needed to meet the receiver sensitivity and intermodulation requirements for TDMA (IS-136 and GSM) dual-band mobile phones.

Samples of the SA3600 are available now in a 24-pin plastic thin shrink small outline package (TSSOP) from Philips Semiconductors.

Philips Semiconductors, a division of Royal Philips Electronics, is the eighth largest semiconductor supplier in the world. Headquartered in Eindhoven, The Netherlands, the company is a global leader in the supply of handset solutions for the latest digital cellular and cordless telephone systems including GSM, CDMA, TDMA, DECT and ISM. In addition to these digital system solutions, Philips Semiconductors also produces ICs for wired and analog cordless telephony, including line interface ICs, transceiver ICs, microcontrollers, caller identification ICs, LCDs and peripherals. It is also a leading supplier of pager chip-sets, with complete solutions for all high-speed paging standards.

Philips Semiconductors has extensive IP in the key RF, digital signal processing and embedded microcontroller technologies that are at the heart of handset design. This, combined with its advanced low-power low-voltage silicon processes, put the company in a unique position to partner customers in the personal communications market. These activities are supported by sales offices in all major markets around the world, and by systems labs. Additional information on Philips Semiconductors can be obtained by accessing its home page at http://www.semiconductors.philips.com