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They offer reasonably flat gain,
typically within ±2.5 dB or better
across a 1000:1 bandwidth,
reducing the need for equalizers and
other gain flattening techniques.
The model family gives users the
choice between 3-5V operation to
minimize power consumption and
8V operation, which enables IP3
performance up to +45 dBm
All models provide outstanding
noise figure across their operating
bandwidths, as low as 0.8 dB for
the low voltage versions, and no
greater than 1.4 dB for the high
voltage versions.
Beyond RF performance, thermal
efficiency has become an
increasingly important consideration
as receivers get smaller and
smaller. Denser layouts mean
that radios are running hotter, and
components need wider thermal
range for reliable operation. PHA-
series amplifiers come housed in
SOT-89 packages with extremely
low thermal resistance of 23°C/W
from junction to ground lead,
allowing them to operate well below
maximum junction temperature
in operating environments up to
105°C for the 3-5V models and
95°C for the 8V versions.
The units have undergone life test
at 160°C junction temperature for
3600 hours at the time of writing,
and will be qualified up to 5000
hours (the industry standard for
HTOL is 1000 hours at 125˚C
junction temperature). Their
outstanding thermal range and
reliability at high temperature
makes these models an ideal
candidates for densely populated
miniaturized radio applications.
Furthermore, the amplifiers can
deliver up to 20 dB gain at 1000
MHz in a single stage minimizing
the impact of following stages on
system Noise Figure, which also
reduces component count, saves
board space, and reduces overall
system size.
Conclusion
The low end of the frequency spectrum
from HF through UHF is densely
allocated for applications ranging from
military communications to broadcast,
avionics, TV, amateur radio and more.
There isn’t a single piece of spectrum
that’s unused from 3 to 2000 MHz.
The availability of amplifiers currently
on the market for these applications
is limited with respect to noise figure,
IP3 and bandwidth.
Mini-Circuits’ PHA-series provides
a solution to existing limitations for
these applications by providing the
lownoise, high linearity, high reliability
and wide fractional bandwidth needed
to improve performance in VHF/UHF
receivers. The wide bandwidth
of these amplifiers means that a
single device can be used across
the multitude of applications in this
range, and their exceptional IP3
makes them suitable for keeping
intermods down in crowded signal
environments. Meanwhile the
significant reduction in noise figure
compared to existing options in this
range represents a new capability
for designers and opens up many
possibilities to improve receiver
performance in a wide range of
applications.
Figure 2:
SOT-89 package
38 l New-Tech Magazine Europe