Amalfi Semiconductor launches second-generation AdaptiveRF CMOS power amplifier architecture

LOS GATOS, USA: Amalfi Semiconductor, an emerging leader in advanced power amplifier solutions for mobile phones, announced the launch and immediate availability of the world's most economical and high-performance CMOS-based transmit modules for front-end GSM/GPRS cellular handsets.

Leveraging the inherent scalability of bulk CMOS processes, the AdaptiveRF architecture can incorporate highly integrated derivative functions including switches and complex filters, allowing a significant ongoing reduction in front-end costs, size and power consumption.

"Mobile phone manufacturers are under extreme price pressure, and yet need to maintain high performance and long talk time,” stated Mark Foley, Amalfi CEO.

“Amalfi’s CMOS architecture offers the most aggressive integration and price-down roadmap while delivering the highest power efficiency and overall performance. In turn, enabling our customers to offer lower cost handset solutions with superior performance and extended talk time."

The family of dual- and quad-band GSM/GPRS transmit modules uses a standard CMOS process and proprietary architecture that consistently outperform competing technology in performance, integration and cost. The modules are targeted primarily at the high growth entry and ultra-low-cost (ULC) product segments in the emerging BRIC markets.

Mobile phone power amplifiers typically use between one-third and 3.5 watts of power during cellular transmission, which represents 30 to 70 percent of the electrical current used by the phone when the user is talking. The lower current consumption resulting from Amalfi’s CMOS-based transmit module enables the cell phone to support longer talk time compared to existing solutions. Mobile phone manufacturers are then able to use smaller, less expensive batteries, reducing the overall size and bill-of-materials (BOM).

Small, highly integrated transmit module
Amalfi’s architecture integrates the power amplifier, controller, transmit and receive switch, filtering and all matching components into a 28 mm2 package, giving manufacturers the smallest, highly integrated transmit module in mass production. The small size reduces PCB space and cost and provides for more flexible design layout, enabling customers to build smaller phones or phones with additional features.

Excellent power added-efficiency (PAE) performance
The AdaptiveRF architecture uses Amalfi’s proprietary second-generation CMOS power amplifier design technology to achieve industry-leading peak performance and much better PAE in the typical operation ranges relative to leading GaAs power amplifiers.

The architecture allows the transmit module to achieve high efficiency over a broad output power range. In operation, where output power is dynamic and subject to non-ideal loads, these improvements result in a talk time increase of up to 40 percent.

Industry-leading electro-static discharge (ESD) immunity
The modules are capable of withstanding a best-in-class 2kV ESD on all pins, including RF pins, making the device less susceptible to ESD damage during manufacturing, which results in better yields and overall lower cost. The devices are also capable of withstanding 8kV ESD on the antenna port, further lowering BOM as no additional ESD protection is required on the phone to meet industry standards.