New WiFi Power Amplifiers for 802.11ac Wave 2 Infrastructure and Multimedia Applications

ANADIGICS has introduced the AWL5911 power amplifier (PA) optimized for 802.11a/n/ac WiFi infrastructure and multimedia applications. The new amplifier delivers an excellent combination of linearity, efficiency, gain and thermal characteristics, while minimizing the number of external components required. These performance and integration advantages help 802.11ac Wave 2 solutions enable multi-user multi-input/multi-output (MU-MIMO) functionality, take advantage of 160 MHz channels, and make use of an additional transmit spatial stream.  When employed, these features can provide higher data throughput at greater range and coverage than existing Wave 1 solutions.

ANADIGICS’ family of 802.11ac WiFi power amplifiers for infrastructure applications leverages the Company’s patented InGaP-Plus™ technology and unique design architectures to offer world-class performance and integration.  The AWL5911 power amplifier delivers exceptional linearity, 33 dB of linear power gain and 1.8% EVM at 22 dBm output power to ensure stable, reliable high-throughput WiFi connectivity in the toughest modulation formats.  It also features an internal digital PA enable interface that eliminates the need for an external buffer amplifier, as well as an integrated detector that facilitates accurate power control over varying load conditions (3:1 VSWR). This level of integration reduces surface mount passive components and simplifies RF design, saving valuable board space, reducing bill of materials, and accelerating time-to-market. The amplifier is ideal for Infrastructure and Multimedia Applications, Including Access Points, Routers, Media Gateways and Set-Top Boxes.

ANADIGICS 802.11ac WiFi Infrastructure Power Amplifier Family Key Facts and Highlights:

• High gain and output power levels to ensure optimal performance in infrastructure and multimedia applications
• Ultra-low EVM in the toughest 802.11ac modulation formats, enabling extremely high transmission data rates
• High-accuracy, integrated power detector to ensure accurate power control over varying load conditions and extend dynamic range
• High power efficiency for improved thermal characteristics to support MIMO applications
• CMOS-compatible control interface to improve ease of use
• Compact 4 mm x 4 mm x 0.8 mm QFN package with RF ports internally matched to 50 Ohms and DC blocked to reduce PCB space requirements

The ANADIGICS 802.11ac 5 GHz WiFi Power Amplifier Family:

The AWL5911 is available now in volume for production orders.