RF front-end component maker and foundry services provider TriQuint Semiconductor Inc of Hillsboro, OR, USA has released the TAT9988 gallium nitride (GaN) integrated power doubler for fast-growing CATV infrastructure applications.
The new GaN MMIC amplifier offers high gain (24dB) and what is claimed to be excellent composite distortion performance (CTB=-69dBc/CSO=-75dBc), which is a critical characteristic in multi-carrier CATV environments. TriQuint’s solutions for cable TV infrastructure and fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) systems are being displayed in booth 10.1/Q35 at the ANGA-COM 2013 broadband trade fair in Cologne, Germany (4-6 June).
TriQuint has also released the TAT8804 gallium arsenide (GaAs) power doubler that delivers what is claimed to be the highest gain (21dB) and output power among ‘green’ 12V CATV amplifiers. The new GaAs MMIC amplifier provides RF output of +58dBmV/ch while consuming less than 8W, making it the highest-output 12V GaAs solution in the CATV industry. Due to its low power consumption and its gain, it can replace the equivalent of two legacy devices.
“TriQuint continues to expand solutions for cable TV infrastructure. Early customer feedback has been very positive on high-output amplifier products,” says James L. Klein, VP & general manager for TriQuint’s Infrastructure and Defense Products. “Today’s homes, schools and businesses are looking to cable and fiber operators to provide high-speed uninterrupted connectivity to ensure access for digital education and entertainment,” he adds.
The growth of CATV technologies is important to delivering sought-after content, says Jeff Heynen, directing analyst for Broadband Access and Video at Infonetics Research in a March 2013 report. “Cable operators are gaining significant traction with DOCSIS 3.0 in North America, Europe, Korea and Japan; they’re in the early stages of rolling out video gateways that combine DOCSIS CPE with video transcoding capabilities to deliver whole-home, multi-screen service,” he adds. “We anticipate hearty growth for the devices over the next few years.”
TriQuint says that its CATV/FTTH products deliver improved system-level performance and are offered as surface-mount, 40-pin 5mm x 7mm QFN packages, driving cost-effective direct-to-board assembly. Samples and evaluation boards are available now; both devices are production-ready.
