Toshiba has announced the development of the next-generation TarfSOI (Toshiba advanced RF silicon-on-insulator) process, optimized for radio-frequency (RF) switch applications.
Sample shipments of a new SP12T (single-pole 12-throw switch) RF switch IC fabricated with the new process will start in January. Designed for use in smartphones, the SP12T RF switch IC features an integrated MIPI-RFFE controller for mobile applications (the RF front-end interface developed by the MIPI Alliance Inc), and is suitable for use in devices compliant with 3GPP GSM, UMTS, W-CDMA, LTE and LTE-Advanced standards.
RF switch ICs fabricated using the new TaRF8 SOI-CMOS TarfSOI front-end process achieve what is claimed to be the lowest-class insertion loss in the industry (0.32dB at 2.7GHz). Compared with products using Toshiba's current TaRF6 process, insertion loss is improved by 0.1dB while maintaining the same level of distortion characteristics.
With the trend in mobile communications towards high-data-rate, high-capacity data transfers, RF switch ICs used in mobile devices and smartphones require multi-port support and improved RF performance. Lowering insertion loss is recognized as a particularly important factor in this, as it decreases RF transmission power loss, which can support a longer battery life for mobile devices.
Toshiba is developing high-performance RF switch ICs using its in-house fab to apply SOI-CMOS technology, which is suitable for integrating analog and digital circuits. Toshiba says that, by handling all aspects of the production flow, from RF process technology development to the design and manufacturing of RF switch chips, it can swiftly improve SOI-CMOS process technology in response to feedback from the development results of its own RF switch IC products. The firm says that this integrated device manufacturer (IDM) approach allows it to quickly establish new process technologies suited to actual products and to enter the market with products fabricated with the latest process technology.
