- 1 March 2006 -

Breakthrough BiFET process eliminates need for external bias control circuits

Skyworks Solutions Inc declared it is leveraging a highly innovative bipolar field effect transistor (BiFET) process technology for its GaAs-based products. This it reckons will enable it to further differentiate its portfolio and achieve additional cost savings when developing solutions for today's leading handset manufacturers.

BiFET uniquely integrates InGaP-based HBTs with FETs on the same GaAs
substrate. The addition of FETs to a high yielding InGaP/GaAs HBT process allows
advanced bias control features to be embedded in the same PA die, it said, thereby eliminating the need for external bias control circuits for many applications.

The end result is that when coupled with other proprietary technology that extends battery life and reduces the RF loss between integrated components, Skyworks is able to increase functionality and simplify designs while leveraging production costs across a suite of GaAs-based solutions, and address additional markets that require embedded analog signal processing and control functionality.

"With the development and launch of our proprietary BiFET process technology, Skyworks is delivering significant performance advantages in GaAs that support high-volume wireless applications," said Steven C. Machuga, vice president of RF front-end development for Skyworks' Mobile Platforms' business. "At a higher level, BiFET represents yet another breakthrough technology developed by Skyworks, enabling higher levels of device integration and allowing our customers' to differentiate their platforms through considerable reductions in both time-to-market and cost."

Available products so far include:

- CDMA handset PCS front-end modules, such as the SKY77408 and SKY77409
- WCDMA products, including the SKY77413, SKY77414 and SKY77415
- WLAN PAs, most notably the SKY65131
- Hand phone CDMA products, such as the SKY77416 and SKY77417

Web: http://www.skyworksinc.com