Nujira scores 80% efficiency for cellular PAs

Now that I have your attention, I met with a team from Nujira Ltd, last week to learn about the first IC in their Coolteq.L product family of envelope tracking (ET) power supply modulators for mobile handsets. Think of this new product as enabling a kind of software defined PA, because with Nujira's new scheme, all inputs to the PA are under software control. Specifically, Nujira’s NCT-L1100 uses envelope tracking to reduce wasted energy from power amplifiers (PAs) in mobile handsets by more than 50%, cutting heat dissipation and extending battery life.

We know that PA power efficiency has always been a challenge, and LTE only exacerbates this problem. So, how does Nujira propose we address this? The NCT-L1100 demonstrates power conversion efficiencies in excess of 80% (average cell phone PA features 30-40% efficiency) and supports the maximum 20MHz channel bandwidth of LTE. (They report this is the best available on the market today.) The products are real and the technology has already been validated through system integration with two major platform chipset vendors. If you will be at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, February 27-March 1st., you can check out Nujira's demonstration of the NCT-L1100 at Stand 1C62 in Hall 1.0.

Key specs:

• Input voltage range 2.5V to 5.25V
• Output power 1.2W average
• Output current 1A peak
• Efficiency 80%
• Temp range -40°C to +85°C

The Coolteq.L chip is compatible with multiple air interface standards, including TDD and FDD LTE.  Nujira reports that its ISOGAIN™ linearization technology delivers improved ACLR and EVM performance, eliminating antenna load mismatch and providing additional output power from the PA. The NCT-L1100 features the industry-standard OpenET analog envelope interface, and a MIPI RFFE control interface. Designers can adaptively trade off linearity, efficiency, and gain to optimize for the application.

Production devices will be available in small footprint WLCSP packages. Nujira provides platform chipset vendors with evaluation boards and engineering support for integration into reference designs for smartphones and data devices. The NCT-L1100 is sampling now to lead partners with general availability in Q4 2012.

More information:
Product web page