A Low Current Fully Integrated Front End Module On GaAs E/D p-HEMT For 2.4 GHz Applications

The wireless world is shrinking and so is the size of all electronic wireless devices which is aggressively pushing the chip manufacturers to reduce the size and power consumption of their IC´s. This work presents a similar case wherein all the blocks of a FEM are tightly integrated on a single die measuring 1500 times 1350 um² using GaAs E/D p-HEMT process and packaged in 3 times 3 times 0.7 mm³ 16 lead QFN package. We have developed a compact Front End Module (FEM) for a range of wireless applications such as ZigBee, Wireless Audio Streaming and bluetooth. The FEM contains a PA, LNA and SPDT Switch which is fully integrated and matched to a 50 ohm system. In transmit chain FEM has a gain of 26.5 dB, output power 21.5 dBm at 3.3 V with 124 mA peak current and input-output return loss better than 10 dB for 24 mA of quiescent current. The receive chain has a noise figure 2 dB, gain of 15 dB, IIP3 better than 6 dBm for 8 mA of quiescent current. This integrated FEM solves the issue of integrating discrete RF components on RF board and also reduces size, cost and time to market for wireless product vendors.