NXP Semiconductors, an independent semiconductor company founded by Philips, launched the BLC7G22L(S)-130 base station power transistor – the first of its products to feature NXP’s industry-leading Gen7 LDMOS technology – optimized for high power use and Doherty amplifier applications.

The seventh generation Laterally Diffused Metal Oxide Semiconductor (LDMOS) technology from NXP enables the highest-efficiency LDMOS solutions available today, increasing power density by 20 percent and improving power efficiency by two percent, while reducing the thermal resistance Rth by over 25 percent compared to the previous generation. First prototypes of the NXP Gen7 LDMOS base station power transistor will be demonstrated at next week's IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium 2008.

“As mobile operators start to offer ultra-fast services based on technologies such as HSDPA and LTE, power demands on the wireless network infrastructure are reaching unprecedented levels. Using Gen7 LDMOS technology, NXP now offers the highest performance LDMOS base station transistors in the industry, enabling higher power-added efficiency than any product on the market,” said Mark Murphy, marketing group manager, RF power product line, NXP Semiconductors.

The Gen7 LDMOS delivers record performance up to 3.8 GHz, and offers 25 percent lower output capacitance, enabling wideband output matching and leading to simplified, better performing Doherty amplifier designs. Doherty has emerged as the amplifier architecture of choice for new base station transmitters, helping wireless network operators to increase efficiency and reduce operating costs.

"With data driven services becoming a larger part of the wireless infrastructure technology landscape, state-of-the-art RF power amplifier performance is a must,” said Lance Wilson, research director, RF components and systems, ABI Research. “NXP's seventh generation of LDMOS, with its improved power density and thermal performance, should prove a valuable asset as the company moves into the top tier of devices for these applications.”

The new NXP Gen7 LDMOS base station transistor will be demonstrated in booth 523. Engineering samples of the BLC7G22L(S)-130 will be available in the third quarter of 2008. Additional products based on NXP Gen7 LDMOS technology will be released in 2009.