Fabricated using Peregrine's UltraCMOS silicon-on-sapphire technology, both switches meets the needs of video and RF systems. Taking aim at digital TV, standard TV and digital video recorder systems, the PE42742 provides high IIP3 and IIP2 levels of 50 and 90 dBm, respectively. The switch also has a CTB isolation of -90 dBc and a high electrostatic discharge tolerance of 1-kV HBM. The chip also includes unique "terminated" and "closed" unpowered modes, making it a good fit for any DTV, TV, DVR or set-top box where reflected signals in the off state can distort local images. It can also be used in DVR and gaming platforms where the CATV signals must pass through the unit when the unit is unpowered, stated Novak.

The PE42555 offers an ultra-fast settling time to allow systems to respond faster with a reduction in RF performance. In fact the UltraCMOS process eliminates a problem called gate lag, which results in a phase and insertion-loss drift after a switching event, which is present in many GaAs-based switches, said Novak. "By eliminating the drift, the PE42555 becomes the industry's fastest SPDT RF switch to reach a fully-settled state."

Insertion loss is just 0.65 dB at 3.5 GHz and only 0.9 dB at 6 GHz, while the high IIP3 isolation is greater than 50 dBm over the DC to 6 GHz range. The switch also has a P1dB compression point of 34 dBm (over DC to 6 GHz), and an isolation of 27 dB at 3.5 GHz and 21 dB at 6 GHz.

Both the PE42742 and PE42555 are housed in 4-by-4-mm, 20-lead QFN packages, and sell for $1.67 and $0.81 apiece, respectively, in lots of 10k units. More information is available at www.psemi.com.