IDT introduces dual intermediate frequency variable gain amplifiers

     IDT Corporation announced that it has introduced the industry's first FlatNoise Dual Intermediate Frequency (IF) variable gain amplifier (VGA) for 2G/3G/4G wireless base station multimode transceivers. IDT's devices offer the industry's best noise factor (4dB) for maximum gain, with little attenuation when gain is reduced, improving quality of service (QoS) and reducing signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) requirements for downlink data converters, thereby reducing system costs.

     Using IDT's FlatNoise technology, the IDT F1240 and F1241 are dual-channel digitally controlled intermediate frequency (IF) variable gain amplifiers (VGA). This new technology virtually eliminates noise figure attenuation for the critical first 13dB portion of the wide gain control range of 31dB. This is in sharp contrast to other IF variable gain amplifiers which typically show dB attenuation in the noise figure as the gain decreases. FlatNoise reduces SNR requirements for system data converters, helping customers improve signal quality and adopt more cost-effective, lower-resolution data converters. For many applications, customers can be reduced from a 14-bit data converter to a 12-bit data converter with a similar system SNR.

     Tom Sparkman, vice president and general manager of Communications at IDT, said: "Our latest FlatNoise RF products bring great application value and complement IDT's leading timing clocks and RapidIO® solutions for base station design. The F1240 and F1241 have the industry's best noise figure and lowest power consumption, and together with our previous F1200, they are the industry's first products to offer FlatNoise technology. By improving signal quality for VGA, we make downstream devices easier to operate, which gives system designers the flexibility to adopt more cost-effective data converters. For example, 12-bit devices instead of 14-bit devices."

     IDT's new IF VGA features ultra-low distortion (OIP3 = +49 dBm) for higher front-end returns, improved receiver sensitivity and additional quality of service. The device operates over the frequency range of 10 MHz to 500 MHz with a typical maximum gain of 20dB, providing the lowest power consumption in the industry (80mA per channel). In addition, the IF variable gain amplifier is very accurate, with a gain step error of only 0.04dB, which further improves the SNR performance of the system. The parallel or serial communication interface provides 6-bit (0.5dB: F1240) or 5-bit (1.0 dB: F1241) resolution control, giving designers maximum flexibility.