US : Avago Technologies announced that its CoolPAM power amplifier modules have been incorporated in a reference design from a leading W-CDMA chipset supplier. Handsets based on the design will ship beginning this fall, giving manufacturers a time-to-market advantage in delivering the major functionality for multi-mode third-generation (3G) mobile phones, data cards, PDAs and other mobile devices.

Avago's CoolPAM power amplifiers provide the kind of extended "on" time that end users expect even as handsets begin to incorporate demanding functions such as TV viewing.

The reference design incorporates Avago Technologies' ACPM-7311 module for UMTS800 (Band 5, 824 to 849 MHz), the ACPM-7331 module for UMTS1900 (Band 2, 1850 to 1910 MHz) and the ACPM-7381 module for UMTS2100 (Band 1, 1920 to 1980 MHz) operation. CoolPAM technology significantly reduces battery power consumption, allowing mobile handsets to run cooler without the additional design time or expense of a DC/DC converter. CoolPAM power amplifiers are already proven in handsets from leading manufacturers in Korea.

The reference design supports HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access) and W-CDMA (Wideband Code Division Multiple Access) UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System)/GSM (Global System for Mobile Communication)/GPRS (General Packet Radio Service)/EDGE (Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution) networks.

"Our highly efficient power amplifier modules allow manufacturers of handheld and portable devices to offer 3G features while significantly extending battery life," said Bryan Ingram (above), vice president and general manager of Avago Technologies' Wireless Semiconductor Division. "With network upgrades to support advanced features such as HSDPA, subscribers are demanding multi-mode connectivity."

The CoolPAM W-CDMA devices are supplied in a 4 mm by 4 mm by 1.1 mm, 10-pin surface-mount module designed to assure high thermal conductivity, which minimizes temperature rise for higher reliability. They are fabricated with an advanced InGaP (indium gallium phosphide) HBT (heterojunction bipolar transistor) MMIC technology offering state-of-the-art reliability, temperature stability and ruggedness.

The CoolPAM W-CDMA modules can operate at 3.2 to 4.2 volts for compatibility with today's low-current consumption designs. They incorporate 50-ohm input and output matching networks for simple integration, and are equipped with a control pin that sets operating parameters for highest efficiency when operating at low output power levels. CoolPAM power amplifiers offer the lowest average operating current in the industry. All versions are compatible with HSDPA.

U.S. Pricing and Availability

The ACPM-7381, ACPM-7331, and ACPM-7311 CoolPAM power amplifier modules are priced at $1.85 in 10,000-unit quantities. They are sampling today. Volumes are expected in the fourth quarter of this calendar year.

Avago will debut these products in booth # 2633 at the IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium from June 13-15 in San Francisco at the Moscone Center.

Avago's Mobile Appliance Solutions

Avago Technologies is a leading supplier of semiconductor solutions for today's highly integrated, feature-rich mobile handsets and PDAs. In addition to infrared transceivers for transmitting data, Avago provides FBAR filters and E-pHEMT and CoolPAM power amplifiers that save battery life and help shrink handset size, surface-mount LEDs that provide backlighting styling options, proximity sensors that automate the speakerphone, and ambient light photo sensors that save battery life by controlling backlighting. No other component vendor offers all of these solutions for mobile appliances.

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