Qorvo®, a provider of technologies and RF solutions for mobile, infrastructure and defense applications, announced, in conjunction with NanoSemi, a developer of digital linearization and compensation algorithms, that it has demonstrated industry-leading ultra-wideband linearization results with its GaN power amplifiers (PA) for wireless infrastructure.
Qorvo's QPA2705 is an integrated GaN driver and GaN Doherty power amplifier designed for the 2.6 GHz cellular band. It achieves 44 dBm output power at 3 dB compression, 35 percent power-added efficiency (PAE) at 37 dBm average output power and 30 dB gain. Intended to be used in next-generation massive multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) systems, the PA module is in a compact, 6 x 10 mm surface-mount package. Using the QPA2705 with NanoSemi’s proprietary digital compensation algorithms, the two companies have achieved impressive adjacent channel power ratio (ACPR):
| ACPR | Signal Bandwidth | Carrier Configuration |
|---|---|---|
| -58 dBc | 60 MHz | 3 x 20 MHz LTE |
| -55 dBc | 100 MHz | 5 x 20 MHz LTE |
Leading cellular operators are enhancing wireless spectrum efficiency and boosting network capacity by more than 500 percent by adopting technologies including massive MIMO, active antenna systems (AAS) and LTE-Pro. Combining Qorvo's compact, advanced PA modules with NanoSemi's digital predistortion (DPD) intellectual property, operators are able to implement highly efficient, small form factor, massive MIMO transceivers for next-generation base stations.
Sumit Tomar, general manager of Qorvo's Wireless Infrastructure business unit said, "Active antenna systems with 64 transceivers pose significant challenges to design power amplifiers with the small form factors, high efficiency and linearity needed for multi-carrier configurations. The combination of Qorvo's ultra-compact advanced PA modules and NanoSemi's DPD IP enables customers to implement high efficiency, smaller form factor massive MIMO transceivers suitable for next-generation base stations."
Helen Kim, CEO of NanoSemi said, "We are excited to collaborate with Qorvo and demonstrate best-in-class results with our digital compensation technology. NanoSemi's unique approach to digital predistortion and CFR enables our customers to tune their products to the sweet spot of performance, resource needs, power and targeted bandwidth."
NanoSemi and Qorvo have also demonstrated linearization of the QPA2705 cascaded Doherty driver amplifier and QPD2730 dual-channel GaN Doherty final stage PA with -58 dBc for 60 MHz LTE signals and -55 dBc for 100 MHz LTE signals at 2.6 GHz.
Qorvo demonstrated their GaN PAs for base station infrastructure at the IEEE International Microwave Symposium (IMS), May 22-27 in San Francisco. NanoSemi also highlighted their digital compensation techniques at IMS.
Qorvo offers an extensive portfolio for wireless infrastructure solutions, including PAs, LNAs, filters, switches, duplexers and wireless boosters/repeaters. More information can be found at www.qorvo.com and, for NanoSemi, atwww.nanosemitech.com.