Satellite Technology Feature Article
November 11, 2009
Avago Offering New GPS Front-End Modules
By Calvin Azuri, TMCnet Contributor
Avago Technologies, a supplier of analog interface components for communications, industrial and consumer application, has announced the release of miniature GPS front-end modules that combine a film bulk acoustic resonator or “FBAR” filter with a high-gain, low noise amplifier or “LNA.”
According to officials with Avago, the ALM-1912 is an industry first and integrates a LNA and a high-rejection pre-filter in a compact package to provide a complete and compact high-performance GPS radio frequency front-end module.
This module helps to simplify the design of GPS handset applications. The ALM-1912 high rejection GPS high-gain LNA is priced at $1.31 each in 10,000 piece quantities.
The ALM-1912 has been designed for use in mobile handsets, personal navigation devices and other GPS-enabled applications and is housed in a miniature 2.9 by 2.0 by 1.0 mm MCOB package to help minimize the amount of printed circuit board space required. In addition, the miniature package makes the offering ideal for use in space constrained applications.
With the integration of FBAR pre-filtering in the ALM-1912, the module can provide exceptional rejection at cell, PCS, and Wi-Fi/Bluetooth frequencies and the GPS front-end module makes use of Avago’s 0.25 µm GaAs enhancement-mode pHEMT process to deliver a 1.62 dB noise figure, 19.3 dB gain, and +1.5 dBm (News - Alert) input third order intercept point.
Calvin Azuri is a contributing editor for TMCnet. To read more of Calvin’s articles, please visit his columnist page.
Edited by Stefania Viscusi
