Topside cooling creates thinner, lighter 5G radio units
Topside cooled RF amplifier modules have been developed by NXP Semiconductors and based on packaging designed to enable thinner and lighter radios for 5G infrastructure.
Smaller base stations can be more easily and cost-effectively installed, increasing network density, while being able to blend more discretely into their environment, said NXP. Its GaN multi-chip module series, combined with what is claimed to be the industry’s first topside cooling for RF power, helps to reduce not only the thickness and weight of the radio by more than 20 per cent, but also the carbon footprint for the manufacture and deployment of 5G base stations.
“Top-side cooling represents a significant opportunity for the wireless infrastructure industry, combining high power capabilities with advanced thermal performance to enable a smaller RF subsystem,” said Pierre Piel, vice president and general manager for radio power at NXP.
Benefits afforded by NXP’s topside cooled devices are the removal of the dedicated RF shield, use of cost-effective and streamlined PCBs and separation of thermal management from RF design. These features help networking solution providers create slimmer and lighter 5G radios for mobile network operators, while reducing their overall design cycle, NXP added.
NXP’s first topside cooled RF power module series is designed for 32T32R, 200W radios covering 3.3 to 3.8GHz. The devices combine the company’s in-house LDMOS and GaN semiconductor technologies to enable high gain and efficiency with wideband performance, delivering 31dB gain and 46 per cent efficiency over 400MHz of instantaneous bandwidth.
The A5M34TG140-TC, A5M35TG140-TC and A5M36TG140-TC modules are available today. The A5M36TG140-TC will be supported by NXP’s RapidRF reference board series.
NXP Semiconductors specialises in secure connectivity solutions for embedded applications in the automotive, industrial and IoT, mobile and communications infrastructure markets while advancing a more sustainable future. The company has over 60 years of combined experience and expertise and operates in more than 30 countries.
