Date: 02/12/2009

InGaP HBT 2.4 - 2.5 GHz power amplifier for IEEE 802.11b/g/n wireless LAN apps

Microsemi has introduced the LX5518, a new power amplifier (PA) that is optimized for high linear output power from -40 to +85 degrees C while delivering low power-added efficiency (PAE). The LX5518 PA is suitable for IEEE 802.11b/g/n wireless LAN applications in the 2.4 to 2.5GHz frequency range including wireless access points and half mini-cards for notebooks and netbooks.

The LX5518 PA is implemented as a three-stage monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) with active bias, on-chip input matching, and output pre-matching. The device is manufactured with an InGaP/GaAs Heterojunction Bipolar Transistor (HBT) IC process (MOCVD).

The key features of the LX5518 PA are,

Pout 26.2dBm for 3 percent EVM with 5V supply
Pout 24dBm for 3.5 percent EVM with 3.3V supply
30dB+ OFDM power gain
Low current consumption of 391mA at 26.2dBm output power
50-ohm input match
Simplified output match
Temperature-compensated on-chip output power detector

Microsemi says, the LX5518 is pin-compatible with it's earlier LX5535 power amplifier, and adds 1.5 - 2dBm of output power to migrate easily to high power without requiring changes to their existing designs.

"This new LX5518 device reflects Microsemi's leadership in WLAN power amplifiers, demonstrating our ability to alleviate difficult thermal performance challenges typically found in high-output power applications," said Kang Hee Kim, RF product line manager with Microsemi's Analog Mixed Signal Group. "It can simplify the design of new high-output-power WLAN products as well as next-generation products migrating from our earlier LX5535 amplifier."

Package: 16-pin, 3 x 3 x 0.9mm quad flat no-lead (QFN) package
Price: Each $0.75 for 10k pieces

For more details visit www.microsemi.com