IBM enables the single chip phone
Semiconductor technology developed by IBM is said to allow the rf and analogue functions of a mobile phone to be integrated on a single chip. Apart from reducing complexity, the introduction is also likely to help reduce manufacturing costs.
The technology – known in house as CMOS 7RF SOI – is designed to enable single chip rf solutions by integrating such functions as multimode/multiband rf switches, switch biasing networks and power controllers. As this technology evolves, IBM believes it could allow filtering, power amplification, power management and receiver/transmitter functions to be integrated.
The 180nm CMOS 7RF SOI process is tailored for rf switch applications that provide a low cost alternative to solutions based on gallium arsenide. According to IBM, SOI can minimise insertion loss and maximise isolation to help avoid issues such as loss of signal or dropped calls.
