Javelin Semiconductor intros industry’s highest-performance 3G power amplifier

AUSTIN, USA: Javelin Semiconductor Inc. has introduced the JAV5001 3G power amplifier (PA), providing the industry’s best performance in a robust, reliable, standards-compliant product.

Based on a unique patented architecture implemented in standard CMOS, the JAV5001 minimizes power consumption across output power levels, resulting in the industry’s lowest battery current in real-world, 3G operating conditions. The JAV5001 integrates complete circuitry for power regulation, PA bias, input and output matching and power control into a tiny industry-standard 3x3 mm package.

The JAV5001 improves battery life, robustness and reliability while simplifying the design-in process for 3G mobile phones and datacards. By achieving compliance to the stringent, industry-standard 3GPP specifications for W-CDMA and HSPA, the JAV5001 represents a breakthrough that is expected to initiate the long-anticipated shift in wireless PAs from GaAs to CMOS.

Javelin is currently sampling the JAV5001 and will demonstrate its innovative technology inside a handset at the Mobile World Congress to be held next week in Barcelona, Spain.

“Javelin is pleased to introduce the JAV5001, which we believe will resolve many of the challenges facing handset manufacturers today due to its leading performance, integration and reliability,” said Brad Fluke, president and chief executive officer of Javelin. “With innovations in architecture, circuit implementation and modeling, our uniquely-experienced engineering team has achieved first-pass success, avoiding the numerous experiments and design revisions that PA developments have historically required. Our first design fully meets 3GPP specifications, supporting a rapid transition to mass production.”

The JAV5001 is a 3G UMTS band I PA that requires only two external components and features a single connection to the battery, resulting in the industry’s lowest bill-of-materials and enabling rapid adoption by cell phone manufacturers. The JAV5001 is stable across output loads including protection for open and short circuits, is difficult to damage in harsh environments and has the lowest out of band noise of any cellular PA on the market today.

“Innovations in CMOS technology have driven an increase in performance and features in the mobile handset. The power amplifier is the next major opportunity for CMOS,” said Brian Modoff, senior wireless equipment analyst at Deutsche Bank. “Javelin’s accomplishment suggests a well-planned architecture and a solid design methodology. By promising to outperform GaAs PAs, the JAV5001 represents a breakthrough that can initiate the transition to CMOS for 3G mobile handset PAs.”

Javelin has 15 patents on its innovative architecture and plans to extend its technology into a full family of CMOS 3G PAs. Javelin’s products are sourced from the world’s largest foundries, opening up virtually unlimited worldwide capacity to the PA market, which historically has been subjected to allocation during peak demand cycles.

The JAV5001 is offered at $1.45 in 10K quantities. Samples are available now, with volume production to begin in June 2010.