Infineon Introduces the World’s Smallest Fully Integrated Receive Front-End Module for GPS Applications

Infineon Introduces the World's Smallest Fully Integrated Receive Front-End Module for GPS Applications

Infineon has introduced the world’s smallest GPS Receive Front-End Module. The new BGM681L11 includes all key components to amplify a GPS signal and filter out interference.

Key components of the GPS receive front-end module include one GPS Low Noise Amplifier (LNA) and integrated filters with high ESD ruggedness.

“GPS functionality will be a standard feature for the next generations of mobile phones. This highly integrated GPS Receive Front-End Module, the BGM681L11, Infineon helps handset manufacturers fulfil the toughest space requirements,” said Michael Mauer, Senior Marketing Director Silicon Discretes at Infineon Technologies. “Infineon is committed to continue developing a strong portfolio of completely integrated GPS receive front-end modules.”

The GPS Receive Front-End Module BGM681L11 incorporates Infineon’s GPS LNA chip and two integrated filters with high ESD ruggedness, an input and output filter, in a tiny leadless TSLP11-1 package that measures just 2.5 mm x 2.5 mm x 0.6 mm in size. This package is more than 60 percent smaller than the closest competitor offering with similar integration level. Alternatively, the GPS LNA chip is also available as the stand-alone device BGA615L7 based on silicon germanium process technology. Today, more than 70 million units of that LNA have already been shipped to the GPS market.

The main challenges for the growing mobile GPS market are to achieve higher sensitivity and higher immunity against interference of cellular signals. This means that LNAs and filters are becoming indispensible components for the GPS receive front-end line-up. As more and more features are added to new generations of high-end mobile phones, PCB space becomes the main limiting factor, so front-end modules of small size are highly desirable. According to the market research company IMS Research the GPS market segment is growing with a compound average growth rate (CAGR) of 33.7 percent until 2011. Consequently, GPS will be featured in at least one third of all mobile phones to be produced in 2011.

“With the GPS receive front-end module BGM681L11 Infineon complements its broad range of high-performance GPS LNAs by providing fully integrated receive front-end components,” said Michael Mauer, Senior Marketing Director Silicon Discretes at Infineon Technologies. “By making use of our recently announced SiGe:C-LNAs capable of 1.8 V operation and CMOS RF-Switches, Infineon is further expanding its product portfolio of GPS modules and underlining its leading position in the GPS market.”

Availability, Package and Pricing

The BGM681L11 GPS Receive Front-End Module is available in high-volume quantities. Infineon provides evaluation kits. Pricing of the BGM681L11 starts at a 10,000-piece price of USD 1.20. The BGM681L11 is shipped in a tiny leadless TSLP11-1 package of only 2.5 mm x 2.5 mm x 0.6 mm in size.