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Renesas Technology Releases Environment-Friendly High-Performance SiGe MMICs for 5 GHz Band Wireless LAN Terminals


− Market launch of SiGe process low-current-dissipation transmission power amplifier MMIC and reception low-noise amplifier MMIC achieving low noise of 1.5 dB −

Above : HA31005 Below : HA31006
Left : Top view Right : Bottom view


Tokyo, June 23, 2005 −− Renesas Technology Corp. today announced the development of environment-friendly, SiGe process MMICs*1 for 5 GHz band Wireless LAN terminals, and the upcoming release of the high-performance HA31005 for transmission power amplification and the HA31006 for low-noise amplifier of received radio waves. Sample shipments of these MMICs − Renesas Technology's first products for Wireless LAN use − will be started in August 2005 in Japan.

Features of these two devices are summarized below.

1. Features of HA31005 high-performance transmission power amplifier MMIC.
(1) Use of environment-friendly SiGe process and mounted into totally lead-free package
Most transmission power amplifier MMICs for 5 GHz band Wireless LAN terminals use an InGaP/GaAs process*2, Renesas Technology's product uses an SiGe process that does not contain any substances imposing an environmental load. These devices can be managed same as the other general industrial materials, offering easier treatment than InGaP/GaAs process products. The package is totally lead-free, with no use of lead in the die bonding or electrodes.
(2) Low current dissipation, and high gain as same performance of InGaP/GaAs process products
Low current dissipation of 180 mA is achieved at +18 dBm output*3. Other performances are kept the same level as high-performance InGaP/GaAs process products, with 63 mW(+18 dBm) output (at 4% EVM*4) and 22 dB power gain at a frequency of 5.2 GHz. This enables low system power consumption to be achieved in IEEE802.11a standard *5 Wireless LANs.
2. Features of HA31006 low-noise amplifier MMIC
(1) Industry's lowest noise performance
A low noise amplifier MMIC that amplifies an extremely small signal level of radio wave during reception should be amplified much under suppressing noise as much as possible. The HA31006 achieves the industry's lowest noise performance for a 5 GHz band Wireless LAN low noise amplifier MMIC, with a noise figure of 1.5 dB at 5.2 GHz.
Current dissipation is also small such as 7 mA (at 3 V operation), enabling the reception sensitivity of a Wireless LAN system which has improved performance at low power consumption.


<Product Background>

With the proliferation and expansion of Wireless LANs in recent years, their range and modes of use have also diversified. High-speed, large-capacity communication has become necessary, in particular, for viewing TV broadcasts and streaming video on a PC. This has intensified the demand for higher Wireless LAN communication speeds, and 5 GHz band Wireless LANs are becoming increasingly common. In addition, a partial revision of the radio law in Japan in May 2005 increased the number of channels are used, and produced an environment in which 5 GHz band Wireless LANs are easier to use. These 5 GHz band Wireless LANs are more severely affected by screening components such as walls and floors than those operating in the 2.4 GHz band, and performance improvements in areas such as transmission output and reception sensitivity are vital in achieving high transmission speeds.

Against this backdrop, Renesas Technology is entering the 5 GHz band Wireless LAN MMIC market with the release of the transmission power amplifier HA31005 and the reception low-noise amplifier HA31006, employing SiGe process technology that is more environment-friendly than InGaP/GaAs devices as well as allowing less expensive fabrication, while achieving high performance on a par with that of InGaP/GaAs process devices.


<Additional Product Information>

1. HA31005
The HA31005 reduces parasitic capacitance and parasitic inductance*6 , which cause degradation of high-frequency characteristics, through the use of an ultra-fine SiGE HBT process and transistor pattern optimization. In addition, low distortion has been achieved through optimization of the on-chip bias circuit, suppressing signal degradation of an IEEE802.11a digital modulation signal. This has made it possible to achieve 22 dB power gain at a 5.2 GHz frequency, 63 mW (+18 dBm) output power with EVM at 4%, and low current dissipation of 180 mA (with a 3.3 V power supply voltage). The package used is a small surface mount 16-pin WQFN0303 (Renesas package code, 3.0 x 3.0 x 0.8 (mm)).
The development of a power amplifier MMIC handling both 2.4 and 5 GHz frequency bands is also in the pipeline.
2. HA31006
The HA31006 achieves a noise figure (NF) of 1.5 dB at a 5.2 GHz frequency and 18 dB power gain (PG) with a current dissipation of 7 mA (3 V power supply voltage) through the use of high-performance SiGe transistors and a simple circuit configuration. This makes it possible to improve the reception sensitivity of a 5 GHz band Wireles LAN at low power consumption.
Adjustment of input/output matching circuit conditions makes it possible to use the HA31006 at frequencies of 1 to 6 GHz, enabling it to be employed in the receiver of IEEE802.11b/g standard Wireless LAN equipment using the 2.4 GHz band.
The package used is a small surface mount 6-pin WSON0202 (Renesas package code, 2.0 x 2.0 x 0.8 (mm)), enabling space-saving receiver design.
3. Totally lead-free packages
Both products employ silver paste material which is optimal in terms of die bonding reliability and conductivity, and Sn-Bi (stannum-bismuth) for package electrode plating, thereby implementing totally lead-free packages.



Notes: 1. SiGe process MMIC (SiGe MMIC): An integrated circuit integrating SiGe (silicon-germanium) transistors with passive elements such as resistances and capacitances.
  • An SiGe transistor is a transistor featuring excellent high-frequency characteristics that employs an SiGe HBT (silicon-germanium heterojunction bipolar transistor) process technology with germanium added to the base region of a silicon bipolar transistor.
  • MMIC : Monolithic microwave integrated circuit
2. InGaP/GaAs (indium gallium phosphide/gallium arsenide): A kind of device, usually of HBT structure, that uses a gallium arsenide compound substrate and features excellent high-speed, high-frequency characteristics.
3. dBm : A unit indicating high-frequency power, expressing power as a logarithm with 1 mW defined as 0 dBm.

As the HA31005 has output of 63 mW with 4% EVM at a frequency of 5.2 GHz, its output power is 10 x log10 (63) = 18 (dBm).
4. EVM (Error Vector Magnitude) : A coefficient indicating the precision of a QAM modulation signal
  • QAM (Quadrature Amplitude Modulation) is a digital modulation method.
  • With the IEEE802.11a 5 GHz band Wireless LAN standard, 64QAM (64-value quadrature amplitude modulation) is used for primary modulation and the OFDM modulation method (at 54 Mbps) is used for secondary modulation in order to achieve high-speed communication.
  • OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) is a modulation method used in terrestrial digital broadcasting, etc.
5. IEEE802.11a : A communication specification drawn up by Wireless LAN (Local Area Network) Working Group 802.11 of the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc.). IEEE802.11a is a 5 GHz band standard. There are also 2.4 GHz band standards, IEEE802.11b and IEEE802.11g.
6. Parasitic inductance : A component that is naturally present in wiring and impedes current variation, having a value approximately proportional to the length of the wiring. In frequency regions above 1 GHz, parasitic inductance greatly affects power loss and lowers high-frequency amplifier gain, and must therefore be reduced as far as possible.

* Product names, company names, or brands mentioned are the property of their respective owners.


<Typical Applications>

1. HA31005 transmission power amplifier MMIC
  • Wireless LAN terminals: 5 GHz band (IEEE802.11a compliant)
  • Digital cordless phones: 5.8 GHz

2. HA31006 low-noise amplifier MMIC
  • Wireless LAN terminals : 5 GHz band (IEEE802.11a compliant), 2.4 GHz band (IEEE802.11b/g compliant)
  • Digital cordless phones : 5.8/2.4 GHz
  • Various kinds of wireless devices (GPS, ETC, satellite radio, etc.)


<Prices in Japan> *For Reference
Product Name Sample Price [ Tax Included ] (Yen)
HA31005 300 [ 315 ]
HA31006 100 [ 105 ]



<Specifications>
1. HA31005 transmission power amplification MMIC
Item Specifications
Power supply voltage 3.3 V ± 0.3 V
Frequency 4.9 to 5.9 GHz
Operating current 180 mA (typ.), at +18 dBm output, with power supply voltage=3.3 V
Gain 22 dB (typ) , at f = 5.2 GHz
Output power +18 dBm (typ.), with 64QAM/OFDM modulation and EVM = 4%
Package (Renesas package code) 16-pin WQFN0303 (3.0 x 3.0 x 0.8 (mm))


2. HA31006 low-noise amplification MMIC
Item Specifications
Power supply voltage 3 V ± 0.3 V
Frequency 1 to 6 GHz (adjustable by peripheral circuit)
Operating current 7 mA (typ.), with power supply voltage=3 V
Gain 18 dB (typ) ) , at f = 5.2 GHz
Noise figure 1.5 dB (typ) ) , at f = 5.2 GHz
Package (Renesas package code) 6-pin WSON0202 (2.0 x 2.0 x 0.8 (mm))


Information contained in this news release is current as of the date of the press announcement, but may be subject to change without prior notice.