RF Micro Devices Inc of Greensboro, NC, USA has begun high-volume production of multiple new power amplifiers (PAs) and power management integrated circuits (ICs) that incorporate the firm's envelope tracking (ET) technology. RFMD says that its unique ET technology enhances power efficiency in new LTE platforms, resulting in longer battery life across all modes and bands, increased network coverage, and higher-data-rate throughput.
Unlike traditional PAs that operate with a constant supply voltage, the supply voltage applied to RFMD's ET-enabled PAs is continuously adjusted so that the amplifier operates at maximum power efficiency. The result is much lower battery power consumption, particularly in LTE platforms.
RFMD says that its expanding ET product portfolio is tailored for leading LTE chipsets and provides full ET-compatible coverage of all FD-LTE and TD-LTE bands (1-14, 17-21, 25-28, 38, 40, 41 and 44). The portfolio includes the RF7389 and RF8085 multi-mode, multi-band PAs, the RF80xx(i) family of 10 single-band satellite PAs, and the RF8081 ET power management IC.
The firm's technology is well suited for the power demands of new LTE platforms now being rolled out worldwide, reckons Eric Creviston, president of RFMD's Cellular Products Group. "RFMD is very well positioned with power management technologies such as envelope tracking and average power tracking to expand our RF content in the newest generation of smartphones, tablets, ultrabooks and machine-to-machine (M2M) applications."
