Philips RF SiP sets new standard for GSM/GPRS/EDGE radio unit size

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Philips RF SiP sets new standard for GSM/GPRS/EDGE radio unit size [Copy link]

Philips RF SiP sets new standard for GSM/GPRS/EDGE radio unit size

50% smaller RF transceiver application enables more functionality to be integrated into Nexperia cellular system solutions

2004-04-26

Royal Philips Electronics' UAA3587 uses RF System-in-Package (SIP) to reduce the number of components in the RF unit on the printed circuit board (PCB) by 35 compared to previous products, enabling designs in less than 2.50cm2. The 　　first highly integrated cellular transceiver to go into production, the UAA3587 uses Philips' new silicon-based RF SiP technology, which not only provides more board space, but also helps Asian manufacturers save costs. It will be the core of the RF front end of Nexperia's cellular system solutions. Combined with other miniaturized components, the UAA3587 is 30% smaller than the industry's best-in-class products and 50% smaller than ordinary industry products with advanced RF functions. 　　Direct plug-in integration simplifies the design process, improves PCB reliability and enables the integration of multimedia functions. As a result, Asian manufacturers will be able to bring highly competitive mobile phones to market more quickly. 　　"In a competitive market, the advantages of passive integration in the RF front end are clear. With the UAA3587, Asian handset manufacturers can save board space and reduce engineering time, enabling faster time to market," said Gert-Jan Kaat, Senior Vice President of Mobile Communications at Philips Semiconductors. 　　Reducing passive components and offering smaller products are key challenges for Asian manufacturers to lead the global market. As phones shrink, the number of operating modes and frequency bands is increasing. With four GSM bands, GPRS, EDGE and integrated 3G, Bluetooth, FM, RF transceivers require more precise performance from passive components to manage the entire complex system. 　　The UAA3587 is the first highly integrated cellular transceiver to be produced using Philips' new silicon-based RF SiP technology. This new technology uses back-end silicon processing to integrate passive components, especially high-density capacitors, onto a silicon pad, a carrier for the necessary active device die. The active die is directly bonded to the passive device silicon wafer using flip-chip technology and then pressed into a standard plastic package. 　　The technical advantage of Philips' silicon-based RF SiP technology is that it can integrate high-quality passive devices through low-cost silicon processing; at the same time, active devices such as transistors can perform best in other processing technologies, such as Philips QUBiC BiCMOS or GaAs processing technology. 　　Since 1999, Philips has provided market-leading system solutions. As a leading global cellular communications manufacturer, Philips has a global network of experts to help customers succeed. 　　The NAA3587 GPRS version will be put into mass production in the third quarter of 2004, and the EDGE version will be put into mass production in the first quarter of 2005. The NAA3587 RF transceiver is available in batches of 100,000 pieces.