California Micro Devices Introduces Praetorian III LC Filter Architecture for Mobile Handsets

California Micro Devices Introduces Praetorian III LC Filter Architecture for Mobile Handsets

Offers Superior EMI Filtering for High Speed Data Interfaces with Cost Reduced Architecture

MILPITAS, Calif., — June 30, 2008—California Micro Devices (NASDAQ: CAMD ) today announced its third generation Praetorian III LC filter architecture for mobile handsets. Setting a new benchmark for filter performance, Praetorian III products offer higher performance than Praetorian I products, at lower cost equivalent to the recently introduced Praetorian II family of products. Based on an innovative coupled inductor design, CMD’s Praetorian III architecture features filters with higher levels of inductance and lower levels of capacitance. This results in filter designs that offer greater levels of attenuation together with superior signal integrity compared to competing products .

Growth of High Bandwidth Data Interfaces

Products based on the Praetorian III architecture address the most challenging EMI filter and ESD protection requirements found in today’s advanced handset designs including high resolution color LCD displays, camera imagers and removable memory interfaces. “Increased consumer demand for feature phones and smart phones is expected to drive handset volume growth in the coming years,” commented Tina Teng, analyst, wireless communications for iSuppli Corporation. “iSuppli forecasts unit volume growth for these combined categories to achieve a compound annual growth rate of 9.3% from 2008 through 2011 versus 6.0% for the entire handset market. Products that address the application needs of high resolution displays and imager and high density removable memory stand to benefit from the expected increase in demand.”

Praetorian III Architecture

The Praetorian III architecture utilizes a six pole pi-filter topology and features high cutoff frequencies, high levels of attenuation and robust ESD protection up to 15kV contact discharge consistent with the IEC 61000-4-2 level 2 standard. Taking advantage of higher value inductors in the available chip area, it allows the use of smaller value capacitors resulting in a filter design with input capacitance as low as 10pF, significantly enhancing signal integrity. The coupled inductor’s compact size also allows the design of filters that can fit into small form factor 0.4mm pitch uDFN and chip scale packages (CSP).

“With the growth in high bandwidth data applications, finding a filtering solution with low channel capacitance has become an important concern to handset design engineers worried about maintaining signal integrity,” stated Kyle Baker, CMD’s vice president of marketing. “Praetorian III products offer an ideal solution for these applications, offering industry leading performance at new, lower price points,” he continued. New products based upon the Praetorian III architecture will sample in the third quarter.

About California Micro Devices Corporation

California Micro Devices Corporation is a leading supplier of application specific analog and mixed signal semiconductor products for the mobile handset, digital consumer electronics and personal computer markets. Key products include protection devices for mobile handsets, digital consumer electronics products such as digital TVs, and personal computers as well as analog and mixed signal ICs for mobile handset displays. Detailed corporate and product information may be accessed at http://www.cmd.com.