6 June 2016

Qorvo expands DOCSIS 3.1 CATV family with three new power doubler MCM amplifiers

In booth 10.2/L36 at the ANGA COM 2016 Exposition & Congress for Broadband, Cable and Satellite in Cologne, Germany (7-9 June), Qorvo Inc of Greensboro, NC and Hillsboro, OR, USA (which provides core technologies and RF solutions for mobile, infrastructure and aerospace/defense applications) is unveiling three new DOCSIS 3.1-ready power doubler multi-chip module (MCM) amplifiers that, the firm says, provide cable broadband service providers an easy upgrade path to DOCSIS 3.1 with maximum design flexibility and functionality while conserving power and reducing board space.

"Our latest power doubler MCMs give our customers additional tools to reach more subscribers with greater bandwidth and higher output power," says Kellie Chong, director, CATV and Broadband Access products. "Additionally, the compact MCM packaging provides a cost-effective solution, saving up to 70% board space compared to traditional hybrid packages."

The MCMs feature temperature-sensing pins to ease assembly, reduce power consumption and provide added confidence during printed circuit board (PCB) reflow. A combination of DC power-adjust and current-adjust capability allows operators to manage networks intelligently and reduce power consumption without sacrificing performance, Qorvo says.

Featuring Qorvo's gallium nitride on silicon carbide (GaN-on-SiC) process to deliver superior thermal conductivity, the RFCM3327 offers 23dB gain while the RFCM3328 offers 25dB gain. Both power doublers are capable of +63dBmV power output, the highest performance of their class it is claimed, and both include an external current-control feature that allows overall power consumption to be reduced by up to 20% while meeting required linearity specifications.

The QPB8808 has a compact footprint, which saves up to 70% PCB space over competing solutions, it is reckoned. Operating at 45-1218MHz, the 12V amplifier offers 20.5dB gain and +58dBmv power output, and includes a variable current bias adjust feature to conserve power while maintaining high output.

Qorvo leads the CATV GaN RF market with more that 50% market share, according to Yole Développement, and offers more than 60 DOCSIS 3.1-ready components (including attenuators, switches, power doubler amplifiers, pre-driver gain blocks, push-pull amplifiers and reverse-path amplifiers). Qorvo notes that it uses internally developed process technologies, including GaN high-electron-mobility transistors (HEMTs), to deliver superior linearity, output power and reliability. The firm's reverse-path amplifiers operate up to 300MHz – well beyond the current requirement of 204MHz for existing return-path amplifiers.

Tags: Qorvo CATV

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