CML Micro expands its SµRF product portfolio with a pair of high efficiency single- and two-stage power amplifiers that offer outstanding performance for a wide range of dual-cell lithium battery-powered wireless devices.
The CMX90A007 is a high-gain, two-stage Gallium Arsenide-based Heterojunction Bipolar Transistor (InGaP/GaAs HBT) amplifier that can be used as a stand-alone final-stage power amplifier. It can also be used as the driver stage for the new CMX90A009, a thermally optimised, single-stage GaAs HBT power amplifier intended as the output stage in a high-power amplifier transmit chain. The two devices' broad frequency range of 136-1,000MHz covers a wide range of frequency bands and applications, including two-way radios.
The QFN and DFN-packaged devices are thermally enhanced for long-term reliability and optimised to allow integration onto space-constrained PCBs. The off-chip matching enables electronic designers to tailor the power amplifiers for optimal performance across a range of applications that use dual-cell lithium battery technology, including critical communications handsets, private and land-mobile (PMR and LMR) hand-portables, two-way radios (analogue and digital) and wireless data modem networks. The addition of these power amplifiers to its SµRF portfolio means CML Micro can supply a complete chipset solution for two-way radios and other systems.
The CMX90A007 delivers +33.5dBm (2.2W) output power with >55% efficiency at 435MHz and 7.4V. The CMX90A009 delivers +40.0dBm (10W) output power with >60% efficiency at 435MHz and 7.4V.
The ability to operate from a supply voltage range of 6.0V to 9.5V allows the amplifiers to be directly powered from a dual-cell lithium battery without the need for a voltage regulator. Both power amplifiers are also equipped with an integrated active bias circuit that provides temperature compensation, simplifying the design-in process for developers of portable communications products.
"There has been a lot of obsolescence in the market for power amplifiers that offer high performance around 7.5V operation," says Rob Smith, Product Line Director at CML Micro. "This has created supply chain issues that have caused a lot of challenges for many organisations, such as two-way radio manufacturers. We are introducing highly integrated single- and two-stage power amplifiers based on Gallium Arsenide technology that are designed to work together and we aim to support the market for many years."
The CMX90A007 and CMX90A009 are available now in Asia, Europe, and the US. They are provided with comprehensive data sheets, and CML Micro offers full support through its global sales and applications teams. The products and evaluation boards are available through global distribution partners, including DigiKey, Mouser and RFMW.
