Product Focus
Semiconductors
CMOS broadband silicon tuner
Freescale Semiconductor’s 3.3 V singlechip CMOS broadband silicon tuner is
designed to reduce power, cost and complexity
for home entertainment appliances.
The MC44S803 tuner is optimized for
analog and digital cable STB, digital TV, cable
modem and terrestrial STB applications.
The tuner supports flexible power-consumption modes, enabling power to be adjusted from
less than 700 mW to 900 mW to meet system
performance requirements. The device dissipates 700 mW (typical) in the low power mode.
The typical power is 800 mW (digital cable),
850 mW (analog cable), and 900 mW (analog
terrestrial). Plus, it offers a programmable
power-down mode with fast start-up.
This broadband tuner is based on a doubleconversion architecture that simplifies STB
and TV tuner designs and streamlines the
manufacturing process. In addition, the tuner’s
double-conversion architecture eliminates the
need for discrete tracking filters and manually
aligned coils.
The MC44S803 tunes 48 MHz to 861 MHz
RF signals and converts them to an IF signal of
30 MHz to 50 MHz. An on-chip IF amplifier
enhances the device’s power efficiency, and
two on-chip IF outputs support systems with
multiple demodulators (digital demodulator
and one analog TV demodulator). Its highperformance capabilities include a wide gain
control range (>80 dB AGC range), a choice
of analog or digital gain control and the ability
to switch between two analog AGC controls
for dual demodulator systems. The MC44S803
has a noise figure of 7.5 dB, as well as outstanding phase noise and competitive distortion figures. The MC44S803 offers a choice of
industry-standard I2C or SPI interfaces.
The MC44S803 tuner is designed to meet
data over cable service interface specification
(DOCSIS) requirements for 64- and 256quadrature amplitude modulation. The tuner’s
low-power 800 mW operation meets DOCSIS
v2.0 requirements. The device is designed to
support the NorDig Unified 1.0.1 specifications for coded orthogonal frequency-division
multiplexing for DVB-T.
The device is available in a Pb-free 64-pin
quad leadless package (QFN) at a retail price
of less than $5 in 10K quantities.
Freescale Semiconductor
(800) 521-6274
www.freescale.com
Integrated SD/PS/HD
video filter/drivers
Fairchild Semiconductor has released a
family of video filter/drivers with the best
combination of filtering flexibility, allowing
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selectable between SD and PS (8 MHz/32
MHz), best suited to set-top box designs.
FMS6690/FMS6246/FMS6346 come
in lead (Pb)-free 20-pin TSSOP packages.
These products meet the requirements of
the joint IPC/JEDEC standard J-STD-020B
and are compliant with the European Union
requirements now in effect. Sampling now,
FMS6690/ FMS6246/FMS6346 are priced at
$0.83, in 1000 piece.
Fairchild Semiconductor
(800) 341-0392
www.fairchildsemi.com
L-band GaAs HJ-FETs
designers to maintain high performance in the
video signal path while optimizing system
cost. With selectable standard-definition (SD),
progressive scan (PS) and high-definition
(HD) filtering capability, this video filter/
driver family allows designers to tailor the
right combination of two filter frequencies
to their specific design requirements. These
highly integrated video filter/drivers are
designed as an alternative to discrete solutions
by replacing passive LC filters and drivers for
board space savings of up to 50%, according
to Fairchild. In addition to set-top boxes, these
devices are aimed at DVDs, digital TVs and
other consumer video products.
Fairchild’s FMS6690/FMS6246/FMS6346
family of six-channel, sixth-order video
filter/drivers allows designers to select the
combination of SD/PS/HD filters best suited
to their system needs. These devices offer
higher levels of integration than previously achievable by manufacturers requiring
composite-video, S-video and componentvideo (YPbPr, YUV, RGB). To save space,
each device integrates selectable filters,
input clamps and fixed gain (6 dB) output
drivers into a single TSSOP package. They
also reduce space by offering the choice of
ac- or dc-coupled inputs and outputs, since
dc-coupled outputs eliminate the need for
large ac-coupling capacitors.
Each one of the video filter/drivers in the
family offers a range of device options for
designers to choose from:
 FMS6690 offers three channels with
fixed 8 MHz filters and three that are selectable
between PS and HD (15 MHz/32 MHz), ideal
for high-definition TV (HDTV) applications.
 FMS6246 offers three channels with
fixed 8 MHz filters and three that are selectable between SD and PS (8 MHz/15 MHz),
targeting DVD players.
 FMS6346 offers three channels with
fixed 8 MHz filters and three that are
www.rfdesign.com
California Eastern Laboratories (CEL)
has announced two gallium arsenide (GaAs)
heterojunction FETs (HJ-FETs) from NEC.
Designed for use as low-noise amplifiers
(LNAs and driver amplifiers in satellite
radio antennas, GPS antennas, and other
L-band applications), the NE3508M04 and
NE3509M04 deliver low noise and high
associated gain. Designed for use as a first
stage amplifier, the NE3509M04 features a
0.35 dB noise figure (NF) with 16.3 dB of gain
at 2.4 GHz, 2 V, 10 mA. With a 0.41 dB NF and
14.0 dB gain, the NE3508M04 makes a good
second or third-stage companion device.
Both are housed in NEC’s miniature,
Pb-free M04 4-pin flat-lead package. Ideal for
compact, low profile designs, the M04 measures 1.25 mm x 2.0mm and is just 0.59mm
in height. The NE3508M04 and NE3509M04
are in stock and available in bulk or on
tape and reel.
California Eastern Laboratories
(408) 919-2207
www.cel.com
Multipurpose power amplifier
Stealth Microwave has introduced the
SM1822-44, a GaAs FET amplifier designed
for high-performance military and commercial
markets. The unit operates from 1800 MHz to
2200 MHz with a P1dB of 44 dBm across the
band and an OIP of +55 dBm (typical).
³ is 45 dB with a flatness
Small signal gain
of ±0.5 dB across the band. Standard features
January 2006
include a single +12 Vdc supply, thermal
protection with auto reset and over/reverse
voltage protection. Optional features include
TTL on/off and forward power detection.
In module form, the unit measures 6.7 x
4.0 x .8 inches; an integral heat sink is also
available. This amplifier is available in a lab
unit and 19-inch rack configurations.
Stealth Microwave Inc.
(888) 772-7791
www.stealthmicrowave.com
Spread spectrum clock generator/
synthesizer
Pericom Semiconductor Corp. has broadened its total timing solution portfolio with two
spread spectrum clock generator/synthesizer
ICs designed for EMI reduction in external
video and graphic chipset applications that
require down-spread such as Intel Centrino
mobile PCs based on the Intel Napa platform. PI6C3420 and PI6C3421 are precision
27 MHz spread-spectrum clock generators that
accept a 14.318 MHz crystal or 14.318 MHz
reference input to generate a 27 MHz clock and
a 27 MHz clock with spread-spectrum. This
advanced solution does not require a separate
27 MHz crystal or 27 MHz reference as does
competitor devices because it takes the signal
from the main motherboard clock.
PI6C3420 and PI6C3421 operate off
3.3 V ±10% power supply, and are guaranteed
over the commercial temperature range of
0 °C to +70 °C. Total generated short-term
jitter performance is guaranteed to be less
than 350 ps. It offers four down-spread
options, which include down-spread: -1.0%
to -1.75% for PI6C3420 and down-spread
0.25% to -1.0% for PI6C3421. The clocks
come in Pb-free and SOTiny six-pin SOT-23
green packaging. Free samples, datasheets,
IBIS, application note, and technical support
are available through the company web site.
These devices are in full production. Pricing
is around $0.50 in volume.
Pericom Semiconductor
(800) 435-2336
www.pericom.com
High-power MMIC amplifier
Mimix Broadband Inc.’s gallium arsenide
(GaAs) monolithic microwave integrated
circuit (MMIC) two-stage high-power
amplifier integrates on-chip temperaturecompensated output power detector. Using
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www.rfdesign.com
0.15 micron gate length GaAs pseudomorphic
high electron mobility transistor (pHEMT)
device model technology, this device covers
the 30 GHz to 36 GHz frequency bands and
delivers 33 dBm OIP3 and 16 dB small signal
gain. The balanced design and lange couplers
help achieve good input and output match.
This XP1017 high power amplifier is suited
for millimeter-wave point-to-point radio,
LMDS and Satcom applications.
At the nominal bias for good linearity, it
delivers 33 dBm OIP3 and 24 dBm OP1dB.
It can be biased at higher levels to deliver
higher saturated CW power within acceptable
MTTF limits. The availability of a detector
using a directional on-chip coupler adds to the
flexibility of the device for power-controlled
linear or saturated applications.
The company performs 100% on-wafer
RF, dc and output power testing on the
XP1017, as well as 100% visual inspection
to MIL-STD-883 method 2010. The chip has
surface passivation to protect and provide a
rugged part with backside via holes and gold
metallization to allow either a conductive
epoxy or eutectic solder die attach process.
Production quantities and samples are
available.
Mimix Broadband
(281) 988-4600
www.mimixbroadband.com
Low-power radio modules
Micrel Inc.’s MICRF610 and MICRF620
are the latest additions to its family of
low-power QwikRadio radio modules. These
modules, designed to operate in the unlicensed
433 MHz and 868 MHz band, are the smallest,
most cost-effective transceiver module from
Micrel. They are easy-to-operate, feature a
small form factor and adhere to the European Telecommunication Standard Institute (ETSI) specification, EN300 220. The
streamlined, “drop-in design” of the modules
enables users to quickly design new products
by taking a more time-effective and cost
conscious “cut and paste” approach to their
RF reference designs. The MICRF610 and
MICRF620 are available in volume quantities.
Pricing starts at $11.33 in 10K quantity.
The MICRF610 and MICRF620 are
self-contained frequency shift keying (FSK)
transceiver modules, intended for use in
half-duplex, bidirectional RF links. The
MICRF610/20 also features an ultrasmall
footprint of 11.5 mm x 14 mm. These modules
are also code-compatible with the MICRF505 and MICRF506 radio wire transceivers. This feature enables a relatively easy
migration path from module to an ICbased solution.
Micrel Inc.
(408) 944-0800
www.micrel.com
January 2006