Atmel Introduces New WLAN 802.11b/g SiGe Power Amplifier

Heilbronn, Germany -- Atmel Corporation announced today the availability of its new WLAN power amplifier (PA) for the fast-growing high-volume WLAN market.

The 2.4GHz PA ATR7032 meets the 802.11b/g standard and is manufactured using Atmel's silicon germanium (SiGe) technology. Because of this process, the device provides high integration and improved performance. SiGe enables operation at a low supply voltage range (2.7 to 3.6 V), making the new device particularly suited to battery-driven applications such as PDAs, smart phones, and notebook computers. Further applications include WLAN client cards for PCs and access points.

Thanks to the SiGe process, the ATR7032 offers the following performance characteristics: 32 dB gain, a linear power output of 23 dBm at 11 Mbit/s CCK, and an error vector magnitude (EVM) of 1.4% at an output power of 19 dBm under 54 Mbit/s OFDM conditions. This is done while keeping current consumption under 160 mA. The P1dB compression point is at 27 dBm. This means that the system designer will achieve a high data transmission range at a relatively low current consumption.

The integrated PA includes an on-chip temperature-compensated power detector with a dynamic range of 20 dB, and standby/bias control logic that provides shut down and power-saving options. Furthermore, the PA includes fully on-chip input and interstage matching. This makes the system design less complex and helps reduce bill of materials cost. For output matching, only a few low-cost external components are needed.

Samples of the WLAN PA ATR7032 in a compact, low-cost QFN package measuring only 3 mm by 3 mm are available now. Atmel also provides fully assembled evaluation boards to shorten design-in time.

Source: Atmel