SKY77548

Tx-Rx iPAC™ Front-end Module for Dual-Band GSM / GPRS


Please note: this product is being discontinued and is not recommended for new designs.

SKY77548 is a transmit and receive Front-End Module (FEM) with Integrated Power Amplifier Control (iPAC™) for Dual-band cellular handsets comprising GSM850/900 and DCS1800/PCS1900 operation. Designed in a low profile, compact form factor, the SKY77548 offers a complete Transmit VCO-to- Antenna and Antenna-to-Receive SAW filter solution. The FEM also supports Class 12 General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) multi-slot operation.

The module consists of a GSM850/900 PA block and a DCS1800/PCS1900 PA block, impedancematching circuitry for 50 ohm input and output impedances, Tx harmonics filtering, high linearity and a low insertion loss PHEMT RF switch, and a Power Amplifier Control (PAC) block with internal current sense resistor. A custom BiCMOS integrated circuit provides the internal PAC function and decoder circuitry to control the RF switches. The two Heterojunction Bipolar Transistor (HBT) PA blocks are fabricated onto a single Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) die. One PA block supports the GSM850/900 bands and the other PA block supports the DCS1800/PCS1900 bands. Both PA blocks share common power supply pads to distribute current. The output of each PA block and the outputs to the four receive pads are connected to the antenna pad through a PHEMT RF switch. The GaAs die, PHEMT die, Silicon (Si) die and passive components are mounted on a multi-layer laminate substrate. The assembly is encapsulated with plastic overmold.

Band selection and control of transmit and receive are performed using four external control pads. Refer to the block diagram in Figure 1 below. The band select pads, BS1 and BS2, select GSM850, GSM900, DCS, and PCS modes of operation. Transmit enable Tx_EN controls receive or transmit mode of the RF switch (Tx = logic 1). Proper timing between transmit enable Tx_EN and Analog Power Control VRAMP allows for high isolation between the antenna and Tx–VCO while the VCO is being tuned prior to the transmit burst.

The SKY77548 is compatible with logic levels from 1.2 V to VCC for BS1, BS2, and Tx_EN pads, depending on the level applied to the VLOGIC pad. This feature provides additional flexibility for the designer in the selection of FEM interface control logic.

Specifications

Frequency (MHz)
824-849
880-915
1710-1785
1850-1910
DescriptionTx-Rx iPAC™ FEM for Dual-Band GSM/GPRS
GSM850
GSM900
DCS1800
PCS1900
Typical Output Power (dBm) GSM
33.7
33.6
31.8
32.0
Typical PAE (%)
42
44
42
41
Supply Voltage (V)3.1-4.8
PackageMCM, 30-pin
Package (mm)8 x 6 x 1.05

Features

  • High efficiency
    44% (GSM850/900)
    42% (DCS1800/PCS1900)
  • Low transmit supply current
    1.30 A (GSM850/900)
    0.86 A (DCS1800/PCS1900)
  • Internal ICC sense resistor for iPAC
  • Closed loop iPAC
  • 50 Ω matched Input/Output
  • Tx–VCO-to-antenna and antenna-to-Rx-SAW filter RF interface
  • PHEMT RF switch affords high linearity, low insertion loss, and less than 20 μA supply current in receive modes
  • Small outline: 8 mm x 6 mm
  • Low profile: 1.05 mm
  • Compatible with multiple logic families
  • Low APC current: 25 μA

Product Documents