4-Channel IA4910 Sets New Performance Standards for LDMOS Biasing Techniques Across Temperature in Base Station Power Amplifiers
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.—(BUSINESS WIRE)—March 16, 2005— Integration Associates, a fabless semiconductor company offering analog and mixed-signal semiconductor solutions for wireless and wireline communications, today announced the launch of the IA4910 programmable dynamic bias controller. This product is specifically designed for base station power amplifier modules requiring more efficient LDMOS biasing control. The device optimally biases up to four LDMOS power amplifiers over temperature variation while dramatically reducing the overall component count and cost and providing an easy-to-use and fast turn-key design.Jean-Luc Nauleau, Chief Executive Officer for Integration Associates, commented, "The IA4910 has been developed to address the increased level of performance, in terms of signal linearization and efficiency, required by the 2G and new 3G standards in cell phone base stations. This product provides application designers with all the tools required to implement an innovative, efficient, and cost-effective biasing technique in a compact package. This device also enables a whole new class of multi-purpose power amplifier designs such as Software Definable Radios."
Upon selecting the IA4910 for its power amplifier design, Husnu Masaracioglu, Director, Engineering at REMEC, Inc. in Milpitas, California, said, "Our collaborative effort with Integration Associates has yielded a product with a high level of integration. Specifically, the on-board temperature sensor, voltage reference, and one-line data interface, allowed us to provide new system features and drive significant cost savings from our bias design. The IA4910 provides a highly stable gate-source voltage over temperature to up to four LDMOS as well as simplifies the High Power RF Module design, combining discrete component functions into one generic IC. The product was easy to evaluate and design in thanks to Integration's software configuration tool. Integration's high-side, high-current sense IA2410 also seamlessly combines with this product to offer a turn-key solution. I can certainly see the IA4910 and its progeny setting a new benchmark for LDMOS biasing techniques."
Dave Piazza, Vice President, Amplifier Business at REMEC, also commented, "With the adoption of Integration's IA4910 bias controller across our platforms, REMEC is able to introduce a new breed of smart amplifiers. They offer better control and consistency in the factory environment, and performance features that would be otherwise too costly or tedious to implement in a low product cost environment. In short, Integration Associates is the first to offer a highly integrated solution with better performance and features at a lower cost."
Technical Specifications
With integrated digital-to-analog converters (DAC), the IA4910 controls and dynamically adjusts, over the entire -40 to +100 degrees C temperature range, up to four LDMOS devices with a 2.5mV precision across the full supply range; an internal voltage reference removes any need for extra external circuitry. Each compensation scheme can be individually programmed to fit specific LDMOS requirements while making use of the on-board temperature sensor. Alternatively, an external temperature sensor can be used by means of the on-board analog-to-digital converter (ADC). LDMOS drain current sensing data are also made available to the system through a single wire data/control bus, which further reduces the number of EMI filters required. Providing a scalable system, up to four IA4910's can share a common interface to control up to 16 channels.
Availability/Pricing
The IA4910 is available in a 16-pin TSSOP package, and is priced at $15.00 for quantities of 1,000. The IA2410 is packaged in an 8-pin SOIC and a 5-pin SOT23, and is priced at $1.20 for similar quantities. An evaluation board is available for the IA4910 at a price of $100.
About REMEC
REMEC is a designer and manufacturer of high frequency subsystems used in the transmission of voice, video and data traffic over wireless communications networks and in space and defense electronics applications. For more information, visit www.remec.com.
About Integration Associates
Integration Associates is a fabless semiconductor company headquartered in Mountain View, California, with offices and design centers in Europe and North America. Integration Associates designs and delivers tested wafers and packaged ICs for wireless, wireline, and power system management applications for a wide range of systems. For more information about Integration Associates and its products, visit www.integration.com.
Contact:
Integration Associates Nick Dutton, 650-969-4100 Email Contact