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Harris Semiconductor Announces Four-Chip Solution Enabling Low Cost, High-Speed Wireless Networking

— Utilizes IBM semiconductor technology to deliver high performance and integration
— Substantially reduces bill-of material cost to wireless OEMs

SAN JOSE, CA, Wireless Symposium ‘99, February 23, 1999 – Harris has re-engineered its award-winning PRISM® WLAN Chip Set using IBM-licensed silicon germanium (SiGe) technology to produce the world’s most highly integrated solution for wireless networking. The new chipset, code-named PRISM II, will reduce the first-generation PRISM chip set component count from eight ICs to only four and deliver Ethernet-equivalent data rate performance.

SiGe is a new technology developed by IBM Microelectronics that combines the integration and cost benefits of silicon with the speed of more esoteric and expensive technologies such as gallium arsenide. The resulting high level of integration and reduction in expensive external components will drastically reduce bill-of-material cost (BOM) cost for developing WLAN products. Coupled with its data rate of 11 megabits-per-second (Mbps), PRISM II delivers the speed and integration needed to develop high-performance wireless products for the enterprise networking market. It also complies with the physical layer requirements of the IEEE802.11 worldwide standard for WLANs.

"Widespread adoption of WLANs across the consumer, SOHO and enterprise markets is contingent upon the availability of a low cost, interoperable and high speed solution," said Ron Van Dell, vice president and general manager of Harris’ Communication Products Business. PRISM II will allow manufacturers to deliver on all of these requirements, breaking new ground in the adoption of WLANs in mainstream consumer and enterprise applications. We’re confident that the development of this next generation chip set solidifies Harris’ position as the clear market leader in enabling wireless networking technology."

The PRISM II Chip Set’s four ICs implement a complete data communications radio operating in the 2.4 GHz Industrial Scientific and Medical (ISM) band at data rates as high as 11Mbps. Additionally, SiGe technology delivers the capability to reach bandwidth-rich frequencies beyond the 2.4GHz spectrum – allowing circuit operation as high as 25GHz

From the antenna, the four chips are: the Power Amplifier and Detector (HFA3983), the RF-to-IF Converter (HFA3683), the I/Q Modulator/Demodulator and Synthesizer (HFA3783), and finally, the Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum Baseband Processor (HFA3861). The first three chips in the chain incorporate SiGe process technology, while the baseband processor is a highly integrated sub-micron CMOS circuit. Harris’ HFA3983 power amplifier is the most highly integrated IC ever developed using IBM SiGe technology, and effectively cuts the chip set’s power consumption in half.

According to IBM Microelectronics’ Bernie Myerson, SiGe-based chips deliver a cutting-edge complement to Harris’ CMOS and bi-CMOS technology due to their ability to provide greater design performance and flexibility. They also achieve deep trench isolation, a noise-reduction property enabling designers to increase integration levels by placing functional blocks closer together on a board.
"Cutting-edge RF applications such as Harris’ PRISM will inevitably require circuit operation at frequencies as high as 30GHz, pushing the envelope for today’s ordinary silicon materials," Myerson said. "SiGe-based devices offer significant performance improvements over current silicon technology and can be built at higher densities to improve integration level and BOM cost."

Harris is actively involved in industry standards and specifications and will ensure that PRISM II complies to the new high data rate extension to the IEEE 802.11WLAN standard, which is expected to be fully approved by next summer.

Harris Corporation's Semiconductor sector manufactures discrete semiconductors and integrated circuits. Product development efforts are focused on innovative "next level solutions" for the communications and power markets. The company’s portfolio of high-value products serve many market segments – automotive, industrial, PC computing, wireless networking, tele-communications, signal processing, PC multimedia, consumer electronics, defense and space.

Harris Corporation, with worldwide sales of $3.9 billion, is an international communications and electronics company that provides a wide range of products and services such as wireless and personal communications, digital television (HDTV), health care information, automotive electronics, transportation, business information, defense communications and information and Lanier office products.