CIE Components in Electronics
NXP Semiconductors has introduced a new portfolio of LDMOS power transistors which have been designed for small cell wireless base stations. With dedicated solutions for both picocell and microcell architectures – which average 1 to 2 W, and 8 to 12 W, respectively – these new RF power transistors span frequency ranges from 700 MHz to 2.7 GHz and include the world’s first asymmetric MMICs, as well as low-cost, low-power plastic devices.
By combining energy efficiency and integration, NXP said that its extended high-performance RF portfolio would help provide greater flexibility when it came to designing highly scalable, cost-optimised systems.
“Small cells are emerging as a cost-effective approach to increase wireless network capacity and quality of service, when used as a complement to macro base stations. By offering a broad portfolio of energy-efficient LDMOS power transistors dedicated to picocells, microcells and active antenna systems, we’re providing the flexibility needed to build highly versatile, scalable small-cell solutions,” said Christophe Cugge, director of marketing, base station power amplifiers, NXP Semiconductors.
NXP solutions for microcells include: asymmetric and symmetric MMICs for dual-stage microcells. NXP has introduced a new range of monolithic microwave integrated circuits, including the industry’s first asymmetric MMICs, which provide more power efficiency at back-off and offer increased flexibility, particularly in Doherty configurations in microcells and antenna arrays.
The first MMIC based on NXP’s Gen7 LDMOS technology, the BLM7G22S-60PB(G), is fully released, with qualification samples of 7 new product types and is now available. All 7 MMICs are dual path with two separate amplifiers, each with 30-dB gain and a certain power rating of P1 dB. NXP’s family of symmetric and asymmetric MMICs offer a modular approach, allowing different power levels on each path, as well as better isolation between the two paths for better Doherty performance and stability.
In terms of LDMOS power transistors for single-stage, high-performance micro cells, NXP has introduced a range of single-stage dual-path devices in different bands, including the BLF6G22LS-40P and the BLF6G27LS-40P, which are currently in volume production. Additional products, including the BLP7G10S-45P, the BLP7G22S-60P and the BLF8G27LS-50A are currently in development.
Solutions for picocells include low-power LDMOS transistors. NXP is now able to offer the plastic 10-W BLP7G22-10, providing 17 dB gain at 2.0 GHz, and the 7.5-W BLP7G27-07, providing 15.3 dB gain at 2.6 GHz, for final-stage picocell applications in a variety of configurations from Class A to Doherty. NXP’s low-power plastic LDMOS transistors offer high performance at 12 volts, with a peak power of 4 watts – for example, in a high-efficiency 1 watt picocell using two devices in a Doherty configuration. Further, as pre-drivers or drivers in both micro and macro base stations, they can serve as low-cost alternatives to the ceramic BLF6G21-10G and BLF6G27-10G, which are in mass production. NXP is also developing two MMICs for this power class.
