Freescale Semiconductor has introduced a 50 volt laterally diffused MOS (LDMOS) RF power transistor. The MRF6VP3450H delivers more than 450 W peak power at P1dB with 50 percent efficiency throughout the UHF broadcast frequency band. The device is designed for TV transmitters employing both analog and digital modulation formats. The transistor is designed for 470 to 860 MHz TV broadcast operation. Using a DVB-T 64 QAM OFDM signal at 90 W average output power, the typical 860 MHz 50 V performance is 28 percent drain efficiency and 23 dB gain, with an adjacent channel power ratio (ACPR) at 4 MHz offset of -62 dBc in a 4 kHz bandwidth.

The MRF6VP3450H device is based on Freescale’s sixth-generation, high-voltage (VHV6) 50 V LDMOS process technology. Freescale’s broadcast portfolio now includes 32 V and 50 V devices covering 10 MHz to 860 MHz at power levels from 10 W to more than 1 kW. All of the devices in the portfolio are RoHS compliant. The MRF6VP3450H is extremely rugged and is designed to handle very high impedance mismatches without damage. For example, operating at 50 V and 90 W average DVB-T OFDM, it can survive all phase angles of a 10:1 VSWR. Similarly, it will survive the same mismatch operating at 450 W peak pulsed power (10 us pulse, 2.5 percent duty cycle). The device also incorporates protection against electrostatic discharge (ESD), which makes it less susceptible to damage during handling and manufacturing.

Availability

The MRF6VP3450H is sampling now, and full production is expected in the third quarter of 2008. A reference test fixture is available from Freescale today, and a large-signal model is expected in the fourth quarter, 2008.