Toshiba Unveils SOI Process for RF Switches in Smartphones
Toshiba Electronics Europe has announced the development of a next generation TarfSOI (Toshiba advanced RF SOI) process optimised for radio-frequency (RF) switch applications. RF switch ICs, fabricated using the new TaRF8 process such as the new SP12T process, achieve the lowest-class of insertion loss in the industry. Sample shipments of SP12T RF switch ICs fabricated with the new process will start in January 2016.
Designed for use in smartphones, the SP12T RF switch IC features an integrated MIPI-RFFE[4] controller for mobile applications. The device is suitable for use in devices compliant with 3GPP GSM, UMTS, W-CDMA, LTE and LTE-Advanced standards.
Products utilising the new TaRF8 SOI-CMOS[6] TarfSOI front-end process achieve the lowest-class insertion loss in the industry, 0.32dB at 2.7GHz. Compared with products using Toshiba's current TaRF6 process, insertion loss is improved by 0.1dB while maintaining the same level of distortion characteristics.
With the trend in mobile communications towards high data rate, high-capacity data transfers, RF switch ICs used in mobile devices and smartphones, require multi-port support and improved RF performance. Lowering insertion loss is recognised as a particularly important factor in this, as it decreases RF transmission power loss, which can support a longer battery life for mobile devices.
Toshiba is developing high-performance RF switch ICs utilising its in-house fab to apply SOI-CMOS technology, which is suitable for integrating analogue and digital circuits. By handling all aspects of the production flow, from RF process technology development to the design and manufacturing of RF switch chips, Toshiba can swiftly improve SOI-CMOS process technology in response to feedback from the development results of its own RF switch IC products. This Integrated-Device-Manufacturer (IDM) approach allows Toshiba to quickly establish new process technologies suited to actual products and to enter the market with products fabricated with the latest process technology.
