TEKNIK ELEKTRONIKA

The concept of a MEMS system-on-chip RF front end for wireless mobile handsets is coming closer to reality thanks to the joint efforts of start-up WiSpry and IBM Microelectronics. Fabless MEMS chip company WiSpry Inc. has a deal with IBM Microelectronics that calls for IBM to manufacture single-chip tuneable radio frequency (RF) front ends for mobile handsets, which WiSpry will market to tier-one original equipment manufacturers.

The key to WiSpry’s unique position is its tuneable impedance matching MEMS technology with arrays of switchable capacitive devices that can quickly be switched in and out to provide more than 3 dB of link resilience by adapting to changes in frequency, antenna conditions (such as being touched by the user), and other operational conditions, thereby preventing dropped calls and improving real-time performance.

Today's 3G multi-mode, multi-band mobile wireless devices and tomorrow's 4G LTE terminals and infrastructure equipment require dozens of internal RF front end components, only a few of which are used at any one time. With a single tuneable RF front end, many of these redundant components can be eliminated, enabling a drastically smaller form factor and reducing component costs.

The WiSpry/IBM MEMS RF front ends will be manufactured using IBM's 180-nm MEMS process, which the companies claim will enable smaller, lower cost handsets that not only improve performance but also extend talk time and Internet connectivity time by 25%. The ultimately goal of the collaboration is the development of a complete monolithic tuneable RF MEMS system-on-a-chip front end for mobile devices.

Image: WiSpry

More info
WiSpry website Extra:
Tell a friend To News Overview To News Archive Sponsored

View the Original article