Freescale Semiconductor (NYSE: FSL) has introduced six new Airfast RF power solutions designed specifically for TD-LTE base stations at the 2.3/2.6 GHz frequency bands.

High throughput capacity and the ability to support a large number of simultaneous users makes the 2.3/2.6 GHz frequency bands preferred for LTE deployments worldwide. Late last year, the Chinese government announced it will allocate 2.3/2.6 GHz frequency bands for the deployment and application of TD-LTE technology, introducing significant growth opportunities.

The newest Freescale Airfast transistors deliver exceptional bandwidth and linear efficiency in a small footprint and are engineered to help drive rapid deployment of TD-LTE networks worldwide. The products span a broad range of power points, from 50 W to 200 W, providing solutions for metrocell and macrocell applications.

“Freescale accurately anticipated the timing and importance of the 2.3/2.6 GHz frequency bands and is delivering on the promise of high performance from its Airfast products,” said Ritu Favre, senior vice president and general manager of Freescale’s RF business. “We are already shipping our new RF power solutions and helping speed the deployment of TD-LTE networks worldwide.”

The new Freescale products reinforce the company’s commitment to offering systems-level base station solutions, scaling from femtocell to macrocell base station applications. In addition to Airfast RF power solutions, Freescale offers a range of RF GaAs MMICs and the comprehensive QorIQ Qonverge platform, which is the foundation for a portfolio of highly scalable processors built on a common architecture and spanning from small- to large-cell base stations. The QorIQ Qonverge platform allows OEMs to reuse software regardless of cell size.

Product information

The four new Airfast RF transistor products for the 2.6 GHz LTE band are in-package Doherty devices that deliver high efficiency within a compact footprint. They include:

• AFT26HW050S/GS – designed for metrocell base station applications in the 2496-2690 MHz band. In asymmetrical Doherty, it delivers 47.4 dBm of peak power. With an average power of 9 W, the part delivers 47.1 percent efficiency and a 14.2 dB gain.
• AFT26P100-4WS – designed for high-power metrocell base station applications in the 2496-2690 MHz band. In symmetrical Doherty, it delivers 51 dBm of peak power. With an average power of 22 W, the part delivers 43.9 percent efficiency and a 15.3 dB gain.
• AFT26H160-4S4 – designed for mid-power macrocell base station applications in the 2496-2690 MHz band. In asymmetrical Doherty, it delivers 52.6 dBm of peak power. With an average power of 32 W, the part delivers 44.4 percent efficiency and a 15.7 dB gain.
• AFT26H200W03S – designed for high-power macrocell base station applications in the 2496-2690 MHz band. In asymmetrical Doherty, it delivers 54.6 dBm of peak power. With an average power of 45 W, the part delivers 44.4 percent efficiency and a 14.0 dB gain.

The two new Airfast RF transistor products for the 2.3 GHz LTE bands are in-package Doherty devices that deliver high efficiency within a compact footprint. They include:

• AFT23H200-4S2L – designed for high-power macrocell base station applications in the 2300-2400 MHz cellular band. In asymmetrical Doherty, it delivers 54.6 dBm of peak power. With an average power of 45 W, the part delivers 42.8 percent efficiency and a 15.3 dB gain.
• AFT23S170-13S, which can be used as the main or peaking transistor in a Doherty amplifier. In class AB operation at an average power of 45 W, it delivers 33.9 percent efficiency and an 18.8 dB gain.