News & Events
Intersil Introduces New 2.4 GHz Extended Range Power Amplifier

-- Intersil's ISL3985 Power Amplifier doubles the throughput at maximum range~-- Extends range by approximately 15 % for applications requiring

IRVINE, CA Aug 1, 2002 – Intersil Corporation (NASDAQ: ISIL), a world leader in the design and manufacture of high performance analog and wireless networking solutions, today introduced the ISL3985, a power amplifier (PA) with integrated detector and “sleep mode” function that extends battery life. Intersil’s new PA is designed to work with the complete range of PRISM® Wireless Local Area Networking (WLAN) chip set solutions operating in the 2.4 GHz band. The ISL3985 is ideal for current Wi-Fi applications and emerging 802.11g products such as access points (AP). Its higher output power increases range by up to 15 percent and doubles the data throughput at maximum range. Applications for the ISL3985 include:

• Access Points and WLAN cards targeting IEEE 802.11b, 11 Mbps standard.
• Access Points and WLAN cards targeting IEEE 802.11g, 54 Mbps draft standard.
• Other 2.4 GHz Industrial Scientific and Medical (ISM) band radios.
• 2.4 GHz time division multiplex access (TDMA) packet protocol radios.

The ISL3985 is a 2.4-GHz two-stage Radio-Frequency Power Amplifier (RFPA) with a built-in detector. Cascaded output power is typically 21 dBm for the usual direct sequence spread spectrum (DSSS) signal and exceeds Adjacent Channel Power Ratio (ACPR) specifications with less than -30dBc for the first side lobe and less than -50 dBc for the second side lobe. The integrated detector is accurate within ±1 dB over a 15 dB range. This allows an accurate automatic level control function to be implemented. Packaging for the ISL3985 is the very small 16-pad, 5 X 5 mm Quad Flatpack No leads (QFN) package that conserves space and provides highly effective heat sinking to the main board.

Technical Features

• 2.7 to 3.6 V single-supply operation
• 21 dBm typical output power, ACPR/DSSS (1st lobe < -30 dBc, 2nd lobe < -50 dBc)
• 28 dB typical overall two-stage power gain
• 15 dB detector linear input power range, ±1 dB detector accuracy
• CMOS level compatible “sleep mode” function
• 16-pad, 5 X 5 mm, QFN (Quad Flatpack No leads) package compliant to JEDEC PUB95 MO-220 product outlines

Detailed Description
The performance of the ISL3985 RFPA can be optimized by adjusting the value of an external, low temp co-resistor which sets bias currents. External positive or negative voltages are not required to set the bias current. The on-chip bias network provides optimum bias current and temperature compensation.

The ISL3985’s power detect function provides a DC output voltage that is proportional to the logarithm of the output power. The detector is accurate to within 0.5 dB at an output power of 21 dBm. The slope of the detector output voltage is 100 mV/dB over a 15 dB dynamic range. A simple use for the detector is to optimize output power compensating for manufacturing deviations.

In a PRISM WLAN application, the HFA3861B or HFA3863 baseband processor uses the detector’s output to dynamically monitor the ISL3985’s output power. The output power is changed as needed by adjusting the automatic gain control voltage of the HFA3783 IF quadrature modem. This is designed to provide the best possible error-free data transfer rate in a given operating environment and helps compensate for channel-to-channel and temperature related variability in the transmit chain.

The ISL3985’s “sleep mode” (power Up/Down) function does not require any external circuitry. Fully integrating this function frees up board space and reduces component count and cost. When the CMOS compatible Power Enable (PE) pin is driven low, the total supply current to the RFPA drops to less than 50 ìA, typically in as little as 300 ns. Full output power returns within a few hundred nanoseconds when the PE pin is driven high.

The ISL3985 Extended Range Power Amplifier is available in production volumes now.

Intersil + Elantec Means More for Our Customers
Intersil Corporation is a global semiconductor leader in the design and manufacture of high performance analog and wireless networking solutions. The acquisition of Elantec Semiconductor, Inc., expanded Intersil’s product portfolios to address four fast growing markets – flat panel displays, optical storage (CD and DVD recordable), power management, and wireless networking. Intersil brings added customer value in providing complete silicon, software and reference design solutions to new products that enhance the computing experience for people wherever they live, work or travel. For more information about Intersil or to find out how to become a member of our winning team, visit the company's web site and career page at www.intersil.com This press release contains forward-looking statements as defined in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such forward-looking statements are based upon Intersil Corporation’s (“Intersil”) management’s current expectations, estimates, beliefs, assumptions, and projections about Intersil’s business and industry. Words such as “anticipates,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “predicts,” “believes,” “seeks,” “estimates,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “would,” “potential,” “continue,” and variations of these words (or negatives of these words) or similar expressions, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. In addition, any statements that refer to expectations, projections, or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any underlying assumptions, are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties, and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Therefore, our actual results could differ materially and adversely from those expressed in any forward-looking statements as a result of various risk factors. Important risk factors that may cause such material differences for Intersil’s WLAN product group include, but are not limited to: the slowdown in the technology sector generally and the semiconductor industry specifically; the rate at which consumers adopt small handheld Internet appliances and portable computing devices in enterprises and in homes; the rate at which consumers purchase small handheld Internet appliances, portable computing devices, and notebook computers with embedded wireless; the rate at which our present and future customers and end-users adopt Intersil’s wireless access, technologies; the timing, rescheduling or cancellation of significant customer orders; the ability of our customers to manage inventory; the loss of a key customer; the qualification, availability and pricing of competing products and technologies and the resulting effects on sales and pricing of our products; silicon wafer pricing and the availability and quality of our foundry capacity and raw materials; availability, pricing, and quality of third party foundry and assembly and test capacity and raw materials; fluctuations in the manufacturing yields of our third party foundries and assembly and test facilities, and other problems or delays in the fabrication, assembly, testing or delivery of our products; the risks of producing products with new suppliers and at new fabrication and assembly and test facilities; problems or delays that we may face in shifting our products to smaller geometry process technologies; the effectiveness of Intersil’s expense and product cost control and reduction efforts; the risks inherent in acquisitions, including the acquisition of Elantec Semiconductor, Inc. (including integration issues; costs and unanticipated expenditures; changing relationships with customers, suppliers, and strategic partners; potential contractual, employment, and intellectual property issues; risks of not securing regulatory approvals; accounting treatment and charges; and the risks that the acquisition cannot be completed successfully, or that the anticipated benefits of the acquisition are not realized); intellectual property disputes, customer indemnification claims, and other litigation risks; Intersil’s ability to develop, market, and transition to volume production new products and technologies in a timely manner; the quality of Intersil’s products and any repair or replacement costs; the risks and uncertainties associated with Intersil’s global operations, particularly in light of the war on terrorism; the effects of natural disasters, international conflicts and other events beyond our control; the level of orders received and the ability to fill those orders in a given fiscal quarter; and other factors. Intersil’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, recent Current Reports on Form 8-K, and other Intersil filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) (which you may obtain for free at the SEC’s web site at www.sec.gov) discuss some of the important risk factors that may affect our business, results of operations, and financial condition. These forward-looking statements are made only as of the date of this communication and Intersil undertakes no obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements. PRISM is a registered trademark of Intersil Americas Inc.