Source: Toshiba
May 20, 2008

Toshiba’s latest low noise amplifier offers built-in bypass circuit in small and thin packages

Miniature MMIC is ideal for digital terrestrial and mobile TV tuners

Toshiba Electronics Europe has extended its family of SiGe amplifiers by integrating a low noise amplifier (LNA) with a bypass function into a single MMIC (monolithic microwave integrated circuit).
Toshiba’s new TA4029 helps to minimise power consumption in applications such as mobile TV. It also offers improved dynamic range and distortion characteristics of the tuner circuit by switching to low power bypass mode when high gain operation is not needed. The device is ideal for digital terrestrial and mobile TV tuner applications, as well as other VHF-UHF designs where input signal strengths are variable yet where low current consumption and good linearity are critical.

Designed for low power operation, the TA4029 operates with a supply voltage of 2.3V to 3.3V and is suitable for the frequency range from 40MHz to 1000MHz. In LNA mode the supply current is only 4mA while typical gain and noise figures are rated 13dB (@1GHz) and just 1.2dB, respectively. In bypass mode the supply current drops to 3µA (max.) and typical loss is only 2dB (@1GHz).

The flexibility of the TA4029 to switch between low noise amplification and no distortion pass-through mode is achieved with a single mode control voltage.

The new amplifier is available either in a small, thin CST6C leadless package with dimensions of only 1.15mm x 1.5mm x 0.38mm (TA4029CTC) or in a thin (0.7mm height) flat lead UF6 package with an SOT-363 footprint (TA4029TU). Both versions will operate at temperatures from -40ºC to 85ºC.

About Toshiba

Toshiba Corporation is a leader in information and communications systems, electronic components, consumer products and power systems. The company’s integration of these wide-ranging capabilities assures its position as an innovator in advanced components, products and systems. Toshiba has more than 172,000 employees worldwide and annual sales of over US$54 billion (FY2005).

Toshiba Electronics Europe (TEE) is the European Headquarters for the electronic components business of Toshiba Corporation, which is the world's fourth largest semiconductor vendor according to estimates by Dataquest.

Providing design, manufacturing, marketing and sales, TEE was formed in 1973 in Neuss, Germany. The company now has headquarters in Düsseldorf, Germany and subsidiaries in France, Italy, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Company president is Mr Shikama and the total number of personnel in Europe is around 400.

Toshiba Electronics Europe offers one of the industry's broadest IC and discrete product lines including high-end memory, microcontrollers, ASICs, ASSPs and display products for automotive, multimedia, consumer, telecoms and networking applications. The company also has a wide range of power semiconductor solutions.

For more company information visit Toshiba's web site at www.toshiba-components.com