STMicroelectronics has revealed a highly miniaturized IC for 4G smartphones for even more attractively sized designs offering high GPS performance. By design, 4G smartphones will use multiple cellular connections to deliver mobile broadband services at speeds of more than 100 Mbps. With Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and GPS also built in, some of the handset’s receivers must share an antenna to save space. ST has used its advanced packaging expertise to create a tiny 1.14 mm antenna-sharing IC, the DIP1524, capable of delivering high signal strength to several RF receivers simultaneously.
The DIP1524 diplexer utilizes ST’s Integrated Passive Device (IPD) technology, fabricated on a glass substrate that minimizes insertion losses compared to the ceramic substrates used by other manufacturers. Its flip-chip package has a footprint the same size as the chip itself, thereby occupying 65% less pc-board area than competing devices in conventional packages with a total footprint larger than 3 mm2. The DIP1524 enables handset designers to connect receivers for GPS/GLONASS satellites, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and LTE band 7 to the same antenna. The DIP1524-01D3 is sampling now in a 4-bump flip-chip package, and will be available in high volumes priced from $0.129 for orders over 1000 pieces.

