Cellular RF front-end

Enabling highest RF system performance and reliable wireless communication

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Overview

The rapid evolution of wireless systems, such as cellular 4G/5G, has enhanced the way we communicate and access information. This has led to a growing need for extended and innovative communication services. To deliver these services, RF designers require flexible and high-performance RF products that can meet the demands of modern wireless applications. The goal is to provide the highest user experience, with fast data rates at lower power consumption, for a more comprehensive and seamless communication experience. Empowered by our RF expertise and leading SiGe BiCMOS, RF bulk Si and RF SOI CMOS technologies, Infineon offers high performing, energy efficient, and green RF solutions to overcome complexity and tackle design challenges.

Benefits

  • Fast data rates
  • Wider coverage
  • Power efficiency
  • Long battery lifetime
  • Higher system robustness

Block diagram

About

Benefits of choosing Infineon's RF ICs for RF front-end (RF FE) systems

Enjoy the benefits:

  • Up to 40% higher data rate with external LNAs, tuned antennas, 5G features, and DLCA, ULCA, and ENDC support
  • Up to 40% area coverage extension with external LNAs and global operating frequency band support
  • Up to 50% PA power saving due to antenna tuning and swapping, and low product-level DC power consumption
  • Higher system robustness, protection from ESD events, and less sensitivity to jammer signals
Infineon's low-noise amplifiers (LNAs) for RF front-end

Infineon's silicon germanium (SiGe)-based and silicon germanium carbon (SiGe:C)-based LNAs are available in three broad categories for RF front-end: Single-band LNAs, LNAs with multiple gain states, and LNA banks.

In very weak signal environments, LNAs can double the data rates compared to solutions without LNAs. High linearity ensures optimal signal reception even with poorly isolated antennas and long line losses between antennas and transceivers. 

Discover our portfolio
Infineon's antenna-centric solution portfolio for RF front-end

Infineon's antenna centric solution portfolio for RF front-end

A well-performing mobile antenna is crucial for a seamless communication experience. Space constraints lead to antennas becoming smaller, and as a consequence, they lose efficiency. Therefore, RF designers choose to tune antennas according to the selected frequency bands to overcome performance losses. To address this challenge, Infineon offers a comprehensive portfolio of compact antenna tuning switches that deliver maximum power transfer and optimize antenna efficiency.

Antenna cross switches’ main benefit is to help reduce power consumption by swapping and selecting the best performing antenna, i.e. optimize transmit power for up-link (UL) or improve receive sensitivity for down-link (DL).

Couplers, such as Infineon’s BGC100GN6 bi-directional coupler IC, are a crucial part of the closed-loop power control and antenna tuning. In RF front-end applications such as cellular phones, the coupler is located between a power amplifier/antenna switch module (PA/ASM) and an antenna tuner.

Antenna tuners
Antenna cross switches
Bi-directional coupler IC
Highest RF design flexibility and performance with RF switches

RF switches are used for band selection, diversity switching at the antenna, or different RF paths (Tx/Rx) within the RF front-end. These devices are manufactured using Infineon’s patented MOS technology.

Infineon's RF switch portfolio consists of single pole dual throw (SPxT) devices with various topologies and features, including MIPI/GPIO interface, fast switching speed, and low power consumption. Our high-power handling switches (+39dBm) offer excellent insertion losses and isolation performance, making them ideal for mobile phones. To support faster mobile data downloads, which require higher bandwidth and an additional receiver channel (diversity path), our diversity RF switches provide the lowest insertion loss and enable selection of the right receive band.

Explore our portfolio
Discover ATS

The Infineon Antenna Tuning Simulator (short ATS) is a modern Graphical User Interface (GUI) desktop application for Microsoft Windows operating systems designed for tuning and optimizing RF circuits with antennas, e.g., Planar Inverted F-Antennas (PIFA) by using Infineon's advanced antenna tuner solutions.

Learn more

Benefits of choosing Infineon's RF ICs for RF front-end (RF FE) systems

Enjoy the benefits:

  • Up to 40% higher data rate with external LNAs, tuned antennas, 5G features, and DLCA, ULCA, and ENDC support
  • Up to 40% area coverage extension with external LNAs and global operating frequency band support
  • Up to 50% PA power saving due to antenna tuning and swapping, and low product-level DC power consumption
  • Higher system robustness, protection from ESD events, and less sensitivity to jammer signals

Infineon's low-noise amplifiers (LNAs) for RF front-end

Infineon's silicon germanium (SiGe)-based and silicon germanium carbon (SiGe:C)-based LNAs are available in three broad categories for RF front-end: Single-band LNAs, LNAs with multiple gain states, and LNA banks.

In very weak signal environments, LNAs can double the data rates compared to solutions without LNAs. High linearity ensures optimal signal reception even with poorly isolated antennas and long line losses between antennas and transceivers. 

Discover our portfolio

Infineon's antenna-centric solution portfolio for RF front-end

Infineon's antenna centric solution portfolio for RF front-end

A well-performing mobile antenna is crucial for a seamless communication experience. Space constraints lead to antennas becoming smaller, and as a consequence, they lose efficiency. Therefore, RF designers choose to tune antennas according to the selected frequency bands to overcome performance losses. To address this challenge, Infineon offers a comprehensive portfolio of compact antenna tuning switches that deliver maximum power transfer and optimize antenna efficiency.

Antenna cross switches’ main benefit is to help reduce power consumption by swapping and selecting the best performing antenna, i.e. optimize transmit power for up-link (UL) or improve receive sensitivity for down-link (DL).

Couplers, such as Infineon’s BGC100GN6 bi-directional coupler IC, are a crucial part of the closed-loop power control and antenna tuning. In RF front-end applications such as cellular phones, the coupler is located between a power amplifier/antenna switch module (PA/ASM) and an antenna tuner.

Antenna tuners
Antenna cross switches
Bi-directional coupler IC

Highest RF design flexibility and performance with RF switches

RF switches are used for band selection, diversity switching at the antenna, or different RF paths (Tx/Rx) within the RF front-end. These devices are manufactured using Infineon’s patented MOS technology.

Infineon's RF switch portfolio consists of single pole dual throw (SPxT) devices with various topologies and features, including MIPI/GPIO interface, fast switching speed, and low power consumption. Our high-power handling switches (+39dBm) offer excellent insertion losses and isolation performance, making them ideal for mobile phones. To support faster mobile data downloads, which require higher bandwidth and an additional receiver channel (diversity path), our diversity RF switches provide the lowest insertion loss and enable selection of the right receive band.

Explore our portfolio

Discover ATS

The Infineon Antenna Tuning Simulator (short ATS) is a modern Graphical User Interface (GUI) desktop application for Microsoft Windows operating systems designed for tuning and optimizing RF circuits with antennas, e.g., Planar Inverted F-Antennas (PIFA) by using Infineon's advanced antenna tuner solutions.

Learn more

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Documents

Design resources

Partner solutions

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