Monday, February 24, 2003

Atmel Introduces New High-Performance Easy-to-use SiGe IF Demodulator IC with Integrated Switching Buffer Capability

HEILBRONN, Germany--Feb. 24, 2003--AtmelŪ Corporation announced today the availability of a new standard RF product, the Intermediate Frequency (IF) demodulator ATR0797.

This new device is designed for a wide range of communication infrastructure systems such as fixed wireless or broadband wireless access applications (e.g., point-to-point or point-to-multipoint radio systems). A typical end application example could be a basestation. The ATR0797 will be used in the receive path of most wireless systems where it realizes the conversion of IF bandpass signals to complex bandpass signals with a minimum of signal distortion.

The new product is manufactured using Atmel's advanced Silicon-Germanium (SiGe) technology for maximum performance, and is easy to handle and to design-in. Compared to the very few other IF demodulator ICs available on the market, the ATR0797 has two buffers integrated at the IF input for three switchable gain steps.

Due to SiGe process technology used, the RF demodulator ATR0797 provides designers of infrastructure applications maximum performance and maximum reliability, which is mandatory for digital communication systems. The device offers highest linearity, phase balance and amplitude accuracy at the baseband outputs are outstanding. The two integrated buffers at the IF input enable three different gain steps (all active, just one active, or all switched off) of 20 dB each. Compared to conventional demodulators, where the amplification of the input signal is done by external buffers, this architecture is cost-effective and less complex to design-in.

"Thanks to the ATR0797's architecture with two gain blocks integrated into the signal path that can be switched on additionally if required, manufacturing costs can be reduced and time-to-market increased," Carsten Friedrich, Atmel's Marketing Manager for Cellular RF Products explains. "Most important for wireless access solutions, however, are quality and reliability since this helps to extend product life time. Here, our customers will enjoy the outstanding quality performance of the new ATR0797 which was made possible by Atmel's advanced SiGe process."

Samples of the ATR0797 in TSSOP16 packages are available now.


About Atmel

Founded in 1984, Atmel Corporation is headquartered in San Jose, Calif. with manufacturing facilities in North America and Europe. Atmel designs, manufactures and markets worldwide, advanced logic, mixed-signal, nonvolatile memory and RF semiconductors. Atmel is also a leading provider of system-level integration semiconductor solutions using CMOS, BiCMOS, SiGe, and high-voltage BCDMOS process technologies.


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Source: Atmel Corporation