Leading-Edge Products Help Designers Put A Stopper In The Power Amp's Power Drain

 By Louis E. Frenzel, Communications Editor

Transmitter power amplifiers (PAs) consume more power than any other circuit in today's wireless applications. In some cases, PAs swallow up more than 50% of the power budget. Also, their inefficiency produces excessive wasted power as heat. With cellular basestations joining the green trend and cell phones including ever more features and multiple radios that shorten battery life, the industry is turning its attention to the PA. Fortunately, many products are now available to plug this power drain.

Generate A Differential Signal Using A Transformer Plus Signal Splitter

 By Raymond Ho, Intersil Corp.

Most function generators and network analyzers have one port to provide the output signal. If a differential signal is needed, then you may need to acquire a network analyzer with two output ports at great cost. Of course, there are alternate solutions in generating a differential signal without acquiring expensive equipment. The two most popular solutions include the use of a transformer or a power splitter.

ESD Protection Devices Come In Tiny 0201 Packages

The SESD0201C-006-058, SESD0201C-120-058, and SESD0201C-006-058 ESD protection devices from Tyco Electronics improve the reliability of portable electronics such as mobile phones, MP3 players, PDAs and digital cameras. The 0201-sized Silicon ESD (SESD) devices are approximately 70% smaller than prior generation 0402-sized devices with a footprint of just 0.6 by 0.3 by 0.3 mm.

Step-Down Regulator Holds Quiescent Current Under 2.5 µA

Thanks to its Burst Mode operation, the Linear Technology LT3970, a 350-mA, 40-V step-down switching regulator with integrated boost and catch diodes, keeps quiescent current under 2.5 µA in no-load standby conditions. The device's 4.2-V to 40-V input voltage range suits it for automotive and industrial applications.

Op Amp Quells Noise, Distortion, And Quiescent Current

With 60% less noise and 50% lower distortion compared with competitive devices, according to the company, the OPA1612 dual-channel, bipolar-input audio operational amplifier from Texas Instruments delivers clear, crisp sound, according to the company. It also supports multiple channels without significant power consumption.

Planar Transformer Operates From 50 kHz To 400 kHz

Designed for switch-mode power-supply (SMPS) applications, including flyback, forward, push-pull, and half-bridge converters, the PLAC 100 from Vishay Intertechnology is a user-configurable planar transformer offering broad flexibility. Typical applications include military, avionic, and medical systems.