Cellular service providers are moving to deploy heterogeneous networks in an attempt to keep up with the surging demand for data services. They are transitioning their infrastructure from voice-driven macro base stations to small cell, distributed antenna, and MIMO architectures with smaller coverage areas and low power transmit architectures. As the volume of these types of cells increases, solutions are necessary to constrain the hardware, deployment and operating (power consumption) costs of these units. Furthermore, the transition to 4G services with multi-mode, multi-carrier and wide bandwidth signals increases the linearity requirements of transmitters even at the lowest output power levels. However, no commercially available solution previously existed that could cost-effectively linearize power amplifiers (PA) from 60W down to 500mW (average output power) while also meeting operator’s and OEM’s stringent performance and system requirements.
Scintera’s family of RF power amplifier linearizers (RFPAL) fill the gap left unaddressed by digital predistortion (DPD) solutions – especially when used with PAs operating below 60 W average output power where system power consumption, solution cost and footprint are as important as final stage efficiency and correction performance. For PAs operating below 10W, where Class A/AB amplifiers dominate, Scintera’s solution offers a very compelling alternative to operating the PA in backoff by improving system efficiency by 2X to 4X.
Applications:
- Single and multi-carrier: WCDMA, CDMA
- Single carrier, multi-carrier/standard: EVDO, TD-SCDMA, WiMAX, HSDPA, LTE & TD-LTE
- Traditional in-cabinet BTS amplifier, Remote Radio Unit (RRU), tower mounted power amplifiers, microwave repeaters, booster amplifiers, microcells, picocells, enterprise femtocells, Distributed Antenna System (DAS), Adaptive Antenna System (AAS) and MIMO systems.
Wide range of PAs and output power levels:
- Amplifier: Class A/AB, Doherty
- Average PA output power: 500 mW to 60 W
- Process: LDMOS, GaAs, GaN and InGaP
