New-Tech Europe Magazine | Dec 2017

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

Figure 2: SOT-89 package

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.

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