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1. PREFACE
Mobile telephones have rapidly become widespread and radio communications have become popular in recent
years. Because mobile telephones perform radio communication at high frequencies, demand for high-frequency ICs
is growing. In addition, these high-frequency ICs also require low current in order to realize longer talk time and
waiting time. Moreover, they are also required to be low-cost and be able to be densely mounted on a printed circuit
board in order to create compact application systems.
To satisfy these requirements, NEC has developed variable-gain amplifier ICs for transmission AGC of silicon
MMICs, namely the
P
PC8119T and
P
PC8120T. Because the circuits of these products are designed as to allow you
to adjust the external components such as inductors and capacitors, the relation between the external components
and internal circuits must be clearly grasped. This document explains the approach toward designing application
systems of these ICs.
2. PRODUCT OUTLINE
The
P
PC8119T and
P
PC8120T are silicon microwave monolithic ICs developed for the transmission-stage AGC of
mobile communications equipment. The gain of these ICs can be varied by an external control circuit. The
P
PC8119T is for forward control and the
P
PC8120T is for reverse control. Both the products are packaged in a 6-pin
mini-mold for high-density and surface mounting. The operating frequency can be adjusted by external matching
constants to the output pins. Both products have an operating frequency range of 100 MHz to 1.9 GHz. At first,
these products were developed for PDC800 M/1.5 G, but they are actually used not only in PDC but also in PHS
because they can operate at up to 1.9 GHz.
Because these ICs are variable gain amplifiers, the user must prepare an external control circuit such as an AGC
detector circuit when AGC operation is to be performed. This external control circuit may be an ordinary circuit and
not limited in any way, and no special circuit is recommended.
The details of specifications and characteristic curves of these ICs should be referred to their Data Sheets.
3. PRODUCTION PROCESS
NEC’s original silicon bipolar process NESAT-III is employed as the production process of both the
P
PC8119T and
P
PC8120T. The features of this production process are briefly explained below.
<1> High f
T
(gain bandwidth product) of 20 GHz is realized by reducing the emitter junction thickness of the
transistor.
<2> Low noise and high gain by minimizing the emitter width (0.6
P
m) and base junction thickness of the
transistor and thereby lowering the base resistance and E-B junction capacitance.
<3> High reliability, including moisture proofness, through employment of direct nitride film structure by which the
base and emitter surfaces are covered with a nitride film via a thin oxide film.
Because of these features, NESAT-III is suitable for producing low-voltage ICs with excellent electrical characteristics.