Fairchild Semiconductor's Industry-Leading Op Amps Optimize Bandwidth and Reduce Power Consumption in Video Designs

Business Wire, May 9, 2006

SOUTH PORTLAND, Maine -- Fairchild Enters the High-Performance Amplifier Market with Two Families of 210MHz and 50MHz Bandwidth Devices Based on Its New BCP6T Technology

Fairchild Semiconductor (NYSE:FCS) marks its entrance into the high-performance amplifier market with five industry-leading operational amplifiers (op amps). The 210MHz FHP3x50 and the 50MHz FHP3x30 families allow designers to target a broad range of high definition (HD) and standard definition (SD) video applications including set-top boxes, digital TVs and audio/video amplifiers. These two product families were developed with Fairchild's new industry leading, proprietary "BCP6T" technology, an ultra-low capacitance, complementary bipolar process using silicon-on-insulator (SOI) and deep trench isolation (DTI) technologies. Fairchild's high-performance op amps allow designers to achieve their dual objectives of delivering superior amplifier performance and maintaining very low power consumption.

"Fairchild now leads the high-performance amplifier market with a range of devices offering designers the best available combination of power and performance features," said Debbie Brandenburg, Fairchild's marketing engineer, Signal Conditioning Products. "The FHP3x30 family, for example, provides the lowest available power consumption combined with 33% higher bandwidth, 33% more output current and 55% better DC performance than comparable devices. And our FHP3x50 family offers best-in-class input bias current, which is an order of magnitude better than any other device in this performance range. Both families provide 1.5kV charged device model ESD protection, a real value-add to the customer."

The FHP3x50 Family

The triple- and quad-channel FHP3x50 devices were designed to optimize bandwidth in high-speed applications such as HD set-top boxes. These 210MHz full-power bandwidth (-3dB) op amps exceed HD video requirements and deliver 1100V/microsecond slew rate for optimal pulse response. In addition, the devices' 0.07%/0.03 degree differential gain/phase error improves video quality. The devices in this family achieve optimal AC performance with a gain flatness of 0.1dB (50MHz), enabling them to maintain consistent gain over the entire passband of high-definition video signals. DC accuracy is also improved due to their industry-leading (0.05 microamps typical) input bias-current, which allows for more precise output-voltage levels and minimal droop in AC-coupled applications.

Both devices in Fairchild's 210MHz family operate with just 3.6mA of supply current per amplifier, with the triple-channel device offering a disable feature to prevent additional power consumption. Energy-saving features like these, combined with an excellent output current rating ( /-55mA), make these devices ideal for driving multiple video loads. The FHP3x50 products are also well suited for use in DTVs, audio/video (A/V) amps and projectors and DVD recorders.

The FHP3x30 Family

The single-, dual- and quad-channel devices in the FHP3x30 family offer industry-leading 50MHz bandwidth, 110V/us slew rate and 0.008%/0.01 degree differential gain/phase to improve performance and save power in SD video designs. Targeted applications include SD set-top boxes, DTVs, CCD imaging systems and industrial imaging systems. Specifically, the FHP3230 device offers the market's best-available bandwidth (170 vs. 130MHz), output current (100 vs. 75mA) and DC performance (CMRR: 100 vs. 88dB) at the lowest power consumption (2.5 vs. 2.7mA).

Like the FHP3x50 series, the three amplifiers in the FHP3x30 family also provide superior gain flatness (16MHz to 0.1dB) to increase system reliability and simplify designs. These devices operate with just 2.5mA supply current per amplifier while providing /- 100mA output capability to effortlessly support four video loads. Additional performance features include optimal open loop gain (AOL), power supply rejection ratio (PSRR), and common-mode rejection ratio (CMRR) -- all better than 100dB -- for improved dynamic range and gain accuracy.

"The BCP6T process used to develop these five new products demonstrates Fairchild's commitment to offering leading-edge analog products to optimize today's consumer electronics systems," Brandenburg said. "In the months ahead we will continue to expand our portfolio with additional amplifier products. Our goal is to further help our customers fulfill the demands of their highly diverse low-power, high-performance applications."

The FHP series of high-performance amplifiers are available in lead (Pb)-free packages that meet or exceed the requirements of the joint IPC/JEDEC standard J-STD-020C and are compliant with the European Union requirements now in effect.

Price (each, 1000 pcs)

FHP3230 (Dual, HS, 2.7V-12V)          US$ 0.74 (MSOP-8) and
                                       US$ 0.63 (SOIC-8)

FHP3130 (Single, HS, 2.5V-12V)        US$ 49 (SOT23-5, SOIC-8)

FHP3430 (Quad, HS, 2.7V-12V)          US$ $0.86 (SOIC-14, TSSOP-14)

FHP3350 (Triple, 5V ( /- 2.5V)-12V
 ( /- 6V))                            US$ 0.71 (SOIC-14, TSSOP-14)

Availability: Samples available now

Delivery: 4 to 8 weeks ARO