Skyworks Solutions Inc., an innovator of high performance analog and mixed signal semiconductors enabling mobile connectivity, recently introduced the industry’s smallest and lowest profile packaged silicon radio frequency (RF) Schottky diodes in a 0201 surface-mount technology (SMT) footprint. This new family of ultra-miniature and high-performance packaged diodes, which is priced comparably to traditional plastic packages, is ideal for a wide range of high-volume and cost-sensitive applications including CATV/DBS set-top boxes, microwave radios, RFID tags, wireless infrastructure and embedded WLAN 802.11a/b/g/n modules.
“Skyworks’ breakthrough technology enables discrete packaged RF diodes with a much lower profile and higher frequency operation than traditional plastic packaging,” said David Stasey, Skyworks’ vice president of Analog Components. “This results in a cost competitive, high performance, and small footprint solution that suits our customers who service a broad range of applications.”
The SMS7621-096 is a low barrier silicon RF Schottky diode that is well suited for a variety of applications, including high sensitivity RF power detection, video sampling circuits and low conversion loss balanced mixers. The SMS7630-093 is a very low barrier zero bias silicon RF Schottky diode that is ideal for ultra-sensitive video detectors and sampling applications. Very low package parasitic impedance, forward voltage, and junction capacitance makes both devices well suited for RF and microwave signal detection applications up to 26 gigahertz (GHz) – traditional plastic packaging is typically only specified up to 10 GHz.
Skyworks’ low-cost packaging technology results in an ultra-miniature 0201 form factor diode with overall height of less than 0.3 millimeters – able to fit into a board area that is over 30 percent smaller than other packaged diode solutions. The devices are protected with a stress absorbent passivation for high reliability, and are compatible with existing high-speed 0201 surface-mount assembly equipment. Leadless diode packaging also allows for greatly improved high frequency operation and tighter parameter distribution when compared to plastic-packaged alternatives.
Both diodes can operate over a wide temperature range of -65 to +150 degrees Celsius and are well suited for both military and commercial applications. In addition, the discrete solutions are offered in lead (Pb)-free restriction of hazardous substances (RoHS) packaging.
Sample quantities are available now in bulk and tape and reel packaging with volume production release scheduled for November 2008. Skyworks is also developing a series of pair and anti-parallel pair configurations to further expand the company’s Schottky diode 0201 product offerings, and will be sampling new PIN and varactor diodes in similar ultra-miniature packaging early in 2009.