News: Microelectronics
13 June 2023
Guerrilla RF launches ½W InGaP HBT power amplifiers with 26dBm linear power for 5G infrastructure without DPD, CFR or ET
Guerrilla RF Inc (GRF) of Greensboro, NC, USA — a provider of radio-frequency (RF) and microwave communication solutions for wireless OEMs — has released the GRF5607 and GRF5608, the first in a new class of ½W linear power amplifiers being developed. The indium gallium phosphide (InGaP) heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) amplifiers were designed specifically for 5G wireless infrastructure applications requiring exceptional native linearity over temperature extremes of –40°C to 85°C.
Spanning frequency ranges of 703–748MHz and 746–830MHz respectively, the GRF5607 and GRF5608 are tuned to operate within the n12, n14, n18, n20 and n28 5G new radio (NR) bands. The devices typically deliver 26dBm of linear power over the entire –40°C to 85°C temperature range while maintaining ACLR (adjacent-channel leakage ratio) levels of better than –45dBc and EVM (error vector magnitude) levels <1.2% — all without the aid of supplemental linearization schemes like digital pre-distortion (DPD), crest factor reduction (CFR) or envelope tracking (ET).
The ability to beat the –45dBc ACLR performance metric without DPD is critical for cellular applications like home and commercial repeaters/boosters, femtocells and picocells, as well as cable loss compensators which are used in conjunction with automotive ‘shark fin’ antennas. In each of these use cases, the sensitivity to cost, power and size constraints prohibits the use of elaborate linearization techniques like DPD. Instead, designers must rely on the power amplifier’s native linearity to meet the stringent emissions mask requirements imposed by the latest 5G standards.
“The GRF56xx series directly builds upon the market success of the company’s previously released ¼W family of power amplifiers,” says Jim Ahne, VP of Automotive and 5G Products. “As announced last November, Guerrilla RF has made significant inroads into the automotive cellular market, and these power amplifiers represent a significant piece of its established business. By essentially doubling the output power, GRF is enabling customers to increase the range of their systems by up to 40%,” he adds. “Given that these new devices are pin-pin compatible with the previously released GRF55xx series, customers now have an easy path to upgrading the range capabilities of their existing repeater/booster and compensator platforms. The new series also ensures Guerrilla RF maintains its dominant position within this rapidly growing market segment.”
The GRF5607 and GRF5608 come in pin-compatible 3mm x 3mm, 16-pin QFN packages. Samples and evaluation boards are available now. Prices start at $1.76 (in 10,000-unit quantities, EXW USA).
Guerrilla RF launches 2.5–2.7 and 3.3-4.2GHz ¼W PAs deliver for 5G without DPD
Guerrilla launches InGaP HBT power amplifier in expansion into cellular market
