Date: 21/01/2010

Peregrine Semiconductor introduces 13.5 GHz SPDT Switch for T&M equipments

Peregrine Semiconductor has introduced the PE42556, a new SPDT (single pole double throw) RF switch based on UltraCMOS silicon-on sapphire process technology that features broadband RF performance from 9 kHz up to 13.5 GHz without gate or phase lag and insertion loss drift, and ensures fast switch-settling time.

The HaRP-enhanced switch has high linearity, making it suitable for use in test and measurement applications including Automated Test Equipment (ATE) and general purpose test & measurement, RF/IF transceiver signal switching, filter bank switching, and discrete DSA stages.

The key features of the PE42556 switch are,

An absorptive switch, terminates the unused port to 50 Ohms and delivers an exceptional isolation of 26 dB at 13.5 GHz and IIP3 of +56 dBm
ESD tolerance is 4.0 kV HBM on all ports
Integrated CMOS control logic, driven by a single-pin, low-voltage CMOS control input with a user-defined logic table
Logic-select pin allows polarity to be inverted for back-to-back switching applications
Complements Peregrine's PE42552 SPDT specified from 9 kHz to 7.5GHz

"Today's test and measurement vendors face a classic chicken and egg problem making more efficient ATE requires better RF performance, yet the RF integrated circuits (ICs) in development push the limits of today's test equipment," said Mark Schrepferman, product marketing director for commercial and industrial products.

"We've worked very closely with our customers to understand the limitations of today's equipment, and to solve this challenge with the development of broadband switches that deliver the linearity, ultra-fast settling time, repeatability and overall performance required to reliably test next-generation RFICs," he added.

UltraCMOS mixed-signal process technology is a patented advancement of silicon-on-insulator (SOI) technology on a sapphire substrate providing high yields and a "green" alternative to GaAs-based technologies. UltraCMOS delivers high performance advantages over competing processes such as GaAs, SiGe BiCMOS and bulk silicon CMOS in applications where RF performance, low power and high levels of integration are paramount. These measureable power and size savings features including long battery life, small batteries, low power consumption and bills, less electronic waste and a greener Earth.

Further, the HaRP and DuNE technologies exploit the fundamental benefits of silicon-on-sapphire, enabling improvements in harmonic results, linearity, power handling and overall RF performance.

Package: Tiny flip chip package with a 400um bump pitch
Price: Each $15.00 for 5k Pieces
Availability: Shipping to lead customers now

For more details visit www.peregrine-semi.com