Date: 02/02/2010

High-efficient 3G/4G wireless base station RFICs from TriQuint Semiconductor

TriQuint Semiconductor has released a new high-efficiency 'green' TriPower family of 3G/4G wireless base station RFICs that reduces electricity needed to power network base station amplifiers with increased network capacity and speed. The new TriPower RFIC is suitable for handheld electronic devices such as mobile phones and smartphones.

TriQuint says, TriPower devices deliver 55% efficiency for reduced electricity demand and small carbon footprints, compared with average efficiency approaching 42% in systems that don't use TriPower technology.

TriQuint claims, a TriPower-based network would cut CO² emissions by about 340 tons each year. According to the US Forestry Service, each acre of trees absorbs about 2.6 tons of CO² annually. Using TriPower in such a system would be the equivalent of adding more than 130 acres of trees to the ecosystem.

"TriPower is a revolutionary advance for base station amplifiers," said TriQuint Networks Vice President, Brian P. Balut. "The complex modulation requirements of 3G and 4G networks cannot be delivered efficiently by legacy semiconductor technologies. As a leader in both GaAs and GaN (Gallium Nitride) technology, TriQuint examined the potential for both types of devices in high-power base station applications. We believe that for reasons of reliability, cost and efficiency, TriPower's GaAs HV-HBT technology is the best choice. Our new TriPower devices provide the greatest reduction in power consumption available on the market today and can enable new, highly-efficient, tower-mounted remote radio head designs. TriPower is game-changing technology."

"We believe that any technology that can increase overall efficiency of the RF power amplifier, such as TriPower from TriQuint, will allow the industry to meet the more stringent energy requirements for high PAR (Peak to Average Ratio) amplifiers going forward," said Earl J. Lum, President of EJL Wireless Research LLC. "We forecast that through 2013, higher PAR multi-mode 3G WCDMA / HSPA and 4G LTE base stations will rapidly replace legacy 2G GSM for BTS (base transceiver station) shipments and will increase in market share from 25% to over 50% of the market. On a unit basis, shipments of high PAR amplifiers for base stations will dramatically increase 85% on an annual basis from 2008 through 2013."

For more details visit www.triquint.com