HEILBRONN, Germany, April 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Atmel(R) Corporation (Nasdaq: ATML), a global leader in the development and fabrication of advanced semiconductor solutions, announced today the availability of its new WLAN Power Amplifier (PA) for the fast-growing high-volume WLAN market.

The 2.4-GHz PA ATR7032 meets the 802.11b/g standard and is manufactured using Atmel's advanced Silicon Germanium (SiGe) technology. Because of this process, the device provides higher integration and improved performance. SiGe enables operation at a low supply voltage range (2.7 to 3.6 V), making the new device particularly suited to battery-driven applications such as PDAs, smart phones, and notebook computers. Further applications include WLAN client cards for PCs and access points.

Thanks to the SiGe process, the ATR7032 offers excellent performance: 32 dB gain, a linear power output of 23 dBm at 11 Mbit/s CCK, and an extremely low Error Vector Magnitude (EVM) of 1.4% at an output power of 19 dBm under 54 Mbit/s OFDM conditions. This is done while keeping current consumption under 160 mA. The P1dB compression point is at 27 dBm. This means that the system designer will achieve a high data transmission range at a relatively low current consumption.

The highly-integrated PA includes an on-chip temperature-compensated power detector with a dynamic range of 20 dB, and standby/bias control logic that provides shut down and power-saving options. Furthermore, the PA includes fully on-chip input and interstage matching. This makes the system design less complex and helps reduce bill of materials cost. For output matching, only a few low-cost external components are needed.

Samples of the WLAN PA ATR7032 in a compact, low-cost QFN package measuring only 3 mm x 3 mm are available now. Atmel also provides fully assembled evaluation boards to shorten design-in time. Pricing for the ATR7032 starts at US$ 0.55 in quantities of 100 k.

Footnote 802.11x = IEEE standard EVM = Error Vector Magnitude CCK = Complementary Code Keying OFDM = Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing PA = Power Amplifier PDA = Personal Digital Assistant SiGe = Silicon Germanium WLAN = Wireless Local Area Network

About Atmel

Atmel is a worldwide leader in the design and manufacture of microcontrollers, advanced logic, mixed-signal, nonvolatile memory and radio frequency (RF) components. Leveraging one of the industry's broadest intellectual property (IP) technology portfolios, Atmel is able to provide the electronics industry with complete system solutions. Focused on consumer, industrial, security, communications, computing and automotive markets, Atmel ICs can be found Everywhere You Are(SM).

NOTE: Atmel(R), logo and combinations thereof, and others are registered trademarks, and Everywhere You Are(SM) and others are the trademarks of Atmel Corporation or its subsidiaries. Other terms and product names may be trademarks of others.

Information

Atmel's WLAN PA ATR7032 product information may be retrieved at: http://www.atmel.com/dyn/products/product_card.asp?part_id=3639

For more information on Atmel's overall WLAN product portfolio, please visit http://www.atmel.com/products/WLAN/

Atmel's SiGe power technology is also available as a foundry service. Take a look at: http://www.atmel.com/products/SiGeBipolar/ for more information.

Press Contacts Dr. Susanne van Clewe, Marcom Manager Communications and Automotive Products Phone: +49-7131-67-2081, Email: susanne.van-clewe@hno.atmel.com Ford Kanzler, Manager of Corporate Press Relations - USA and Asia Phone: +1-408-436-4343, Email: fkanzler@atmel.com Veronique Sablereau, Corporate Communications Manager - Europe Phone: +33-1-30-60-70-68, Email: veronique.sablereau@atmel.com

Web site: http://www.atmel.com/

Dr. Susanne van Clewe, Marcom Manager Communications and Automotive Products, +49-7131-67-2081, or susanne.van-clewe@hno.atmel.com, for Atmel Corporation; or Ford Kanzler, Manager of Corporate Press Relations - USA and Asia, +1-408-436-4343, or fkanzler@atmel.com, or Veronique Sablereau, Corporate Communications Manager - Europe, +33-1-30-60-70-68, or veronique.sablereau@atmel.com, both of Atmel Corporation