2 November 2016

Guerrilla RF launches failsafe SPDT switch for cellular boosters, infrastructure and L-band satcoms

Guerrilla RF Inc of Greensboro, NC, USA – which provides monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs) to wireless infrastructure original equipment manufacturers – has launched the GRF6011, the first member in its range of failsafe switch and amplifier devices. The GRF6011 provides failsafe operation, with one RF path defaulting to a low-insertion-loss state, with all power removed, and the other path defaulting to a high-insertion-loss state.

At 1900MHz, typical 3.3V RF performance offers insertion loss of < 0.45dB, IP1dB (input power at 1dB gain compression point) of >31dBm, and IIP3 (third-order input intercept point) of >50dBm.

A key application for the single-pole, double-throw (SPDT) switch is at the low-noise amplifier (LNA) in a tower-mounted amplifier (TMA), where the failsafe functionality is typically implemented using expensive mechanical relays or cumbersome Schottky diode switches external to a traditional LNA. Guerrilla RF says that the GRF6011 is suitable for applications including cellular boosters, cellular infrastructure and L-band satcoms. Since the device requires only a few external capacitors for DC blocking, it is housed in an ultra-small 1.5mm x 1.5mm DFN-6 package, providing an extremely compact application footprint.

"The device's flexible biasing capability allows for supply and control inputs anywhere in the 3.0-5.0V range," says VP of applications and technical marketing Alan Ake.

According to market research firm EJL Wireless, the ability to incorporate the failsafe capability within the GRF6011 switch and also eliminate the external relay or diode switches is a major step forward in reducing the overall size and bill-of-materials (BOM) cost of a typical TMA unit.

GRF6011 samples and evaluation boards are available now. Pricing is $1.45 each in 10,000-unit quantities.

Tags: MMIC LNA

Visit: http://guerrilla-rf.com