Common footprint, common control interface fill market need, customer demand
San Diego, California, June 8, 2004 — Peregrine Semiconductor Corporation, a leading supplier of high-performance RF CMOS and mixed-signal communications ICs, today extended its new family of Digital Step Attenuators (DSAs) with the introduction of its 5-bit PE4305, PE4306, PE4307 and PE4308 devices. In addition to unprecedented levels of broadband linearity, and programming flexibility, these new 50- and 75-Ohm devices deliver attenuation in 0.5 dB LSB steps to 15.5 dB (PE4305 and PE4307) and 1.0 dB LSB steps to 31 dB (PE4306/PE4308) with extremely high accuracy. The 50-Ohm devices operate DC to 4000 MHz, while the 75-Ohm devices operate DC to 2000 MHz.
These four devices are pin-compatible with Peregrine’s first commercial DSA products, the PE4302 and PE4304, introduced last month. The common footprint and standard programming sequence makes it easy to use and apply the variations in impedance (50 or 75 ohms); resolution (5- or 6-bit) and attenuation (0.5 dB or 1.0 dB LSB) within the family. All combinations yield 6 different devices, but with a common look and feel. Manufactured on the Company’s proprietary UTSi® RF CMOS Silicon-on-Sapphire technology, the products draw from many years of high-performance RF CMOS and mixed-signal IC experience.
The new PE4305/06/07/08 devices are 5-bit DSAs featuring high ESD tolerance, high linearity to near DC, versatile serial and parallel interface logic, and industry leading insertion loss of 1.5 dB. Guaranteed Return Loss (RL) ranges from 10-20 dB through 2.2 GHz, making it 5 to 6 dB better than its competitors. The monolithic RF CMOS design also allows for a unique initial attenuation state at power-up. This culmination of features and performance greatly simplifies the design and shortens the design cycle for engineers.
“Peregrine’s continued dedication to providing the highest level of performance is a strategy that is paying off,” stated Rodd Novak, director of marketing and business development. “The unique combination of leading-edge features, especially in the area of monolithic DSAs, has opened many doors at large, wireless infrastructure companies. The intrinsic benefits of RF CMOS on sapphire have allowed Peregrine to raise the bar on monolithic integration, performance and price,” he added.
The PE4305, PE4306, PE4307 and PE4308 devices are available in 20-lead QFN packages and are the newest members of Peregrine’s complete line of 5- and 6-bit DSA products released this year. Product samples, unit pricing and volume production are available now through Peregrine Semiconductor and its worldwide distribution partner, Richardson Electronics.
About UTSi® RF CMOS Silicon-On-Sapphire (SOS) Technology
UTSi® (Ultra-Thin-Silicon) RF CMOS is a proprietary, patented variation of silicon-on- insulator (SOI) technology. It is the first commercially qualified use of sapphire substrates with high yields and competitive costs. UTSi CMOS combines high-performance RF, mixed-signal, passive elements, nonvolatile memory and digital functions on a single device. Significant performance advantages exist over competing mixed-signal processes such as GaAs, SiGe BiCMOS and bulk silicon CMOS in applications where RF performance, low power and integration are paramount. Additionally, because UTSi SOS is fabricated in standard high-volume CMOS facilities, Peregrine products benefit from the fundamental cost effectiveness and high yields, scalability and integration of CMOS, while achieving the performance of SiGe and GaAs. And since sapphire is a near perfect insulator, UTSi SOS products can integrate high-quality passive devices directly into the IC, offering unprecedented levels of RF integration and cost effectiveness.
About Peregrine Semiconductor
Peregrine Semiconductor Corporation designs, manufactures, and markets high-performance communications ICs for the wireless, broadband cable communications, satellite and defense markets. The Peregrine product portfolio offers unprecedented levels of monolithic integration, afforded by its patented UTSi® RF CMOS silicon-on-sapphire process. The Company, headquartered in San Diego, California; maintains established design centers and operations in Chicago, IL; Aix-en-Provence, France; Sydney, Australia; and Tokyo, Japan. Additional information is available on the web at peregrine-semi.com. Contact Peregrine’s worldwide distribution partner, Richardson Electronics (NASDAQ: RELL), for sales information at 1-800-737-6937.
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Peregrine Semiconductor is not affiliated with Peregrine Systems, a software company also based in San Diego, California.
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