Date: 21/06/2012

Tiny LNA from NXP with noise figure of 0.60 dB to improve GPS signal reception

NXP Semiconductors N.V. has revealed the BGU8006 low-noise amplifier designed for small portable devices. These LNAs have a footprint of 0.65 x 0.44 x 0.2 mm in a tiny WLCSP (wafer-level chip-scale package) and require only two external components. NXP claims that they are the tiniest GPS LNAs available in the market.

They are suitable for space-constraint applications and devices using GPS technology such as smartphones, feature phones, tablets, personal navigation devices (PNDs), digital still cameras (DSCs), digital video cameras (DVCs), RF front-end modules for phones, and complete GPS chipset modules.

Features:
1. Uses WLCSP technology that minimizes parasitic inductance as there are no leads, bond wires or interposer connections
2. Uses adaptive biasing techniques to instantly detect any output power from jammers, and compensate by temporarily increasing the current
3. Requires one external matching inductor and one external decoupling capacitor
4. Noise figure: 0.60 dB
5. Linearity with a 10 dB better IP3 under -40 to -20 dBm jamming conditions
6. Provides GPS output with jammer power up to -15 dBm

Adaptive biasing dynamically suppresses strong cellular, WLAN and Bluetooth signals, which can drive typical GPS LNAs into compression, lowering gain, generating intermodulation and harmonics that can overpower weak signals, and causing poor GPS reception.

“Smartphones, tablets, personal navigation devices and automotive telematics applications all suffer from communication delays when network reception is poor, and have to wait for data to refresh as the GPS searches for satellite signal. Our new BGU8006 LNA helps to maintain optimal GPS signal reception for as long as possible – on a chip that is so small, it isn’t even visible to the naked eye,” said Erick Olsen, marketing director, RF small signal product line, NXP Semiconductors. “As GPS functionality becomes ubiquitous, the ability to deliver better accuracy and faster Time to First Fix will vastly improve user experience and enable operators to provide more sophisticated Location Based Services down the line.”

Qualification samples of the BGU8006 to be available in Q3, with volume production during Q4 2012.

Product information: http://www.nxp.com/pip/BGU8006