19-1185; Rev 2; 5/97

KIT
ATION
EVALU B L E
AVAILA
3.6V, 1W RF Power Transistors
for 900MHz Applications
_______________General Description ____________________________Features

MAX2601/MAX2602
The MAX2601/MAX2602 are RF power transistors opti- ♦ Low Voltage: Operates from 1 Li-Ion or
mized for use in portable cellular and wireless equipment 3 NiCd/NiMH Batteries
that operates from three NiCd/NiMH cells or one Li-Ion
cell. These transistors deliver 1W of RF power from a ♦ DC-to-Microwave Operating Range
3.6V supply with efficiency of 58% when biased for con-
stant-envelope applications (e.g., FM or FSK). For NADC ♦ 1W Output Power at 900MHz
(IS-54) operation, they deliver 29dBm with -28dBc ACPR
from a 4.8V supply. ♦ On-Chip Diode for Accurate Biasing (MAX2602)
The MAX2601 is a high-performance silicon bipolar RF ♦ Low-Cost Silicon Bipolar Technology
power transistor. The MAX2602 includes a high-
performance silicon bipolar RF power transistor, and a ♦ Does Not Require Negative Bias or Supply Switch
biasing diode that matches the thermal and process
characteristics of the power transistor. This diode is ♦ High Efficiency: 58%
used to create a bias network that accurately controls
the power transistor’s collector current as the tempera-
ture changes.
The MAX2601/MAX2602 can be used as the final stage
in a discrete or module power amplifier. Silicon bipolar ______________Ordering Information
technology eliminates the need for voltage inverters
and sequencing circuitry, as required by GaAsFET PART TEMP. RANGE PIN-PACKAGE
power amplifiers. Furthermore, a drain switch is not MAX2601ESA -40°C to +85°C 8 PSOPII
required to turn off the MAX2601/MAX2602. This MAX2602ESA -40°C to +85°C 8 PSOPII
increases operating time in two ways: it allows lower
MAX2602E/D -40°C to +85°C Dice*
system end-of-life battery voltage, and it eliminates the
wasted power from a drain-switch device. *Dice are specified at TA = +25°C, DC parameters only.
The MAX2601/MAX2602 are available in thermally
enhanced, 8-pin SO packages, which are screened to
the extended temperature range (-40°C to +85°C). The
MAX2602 is also available in die form.

________________________Applications _________________Pin Configurations

Narrow-Band PCS (NPCS)
915MHz ISM Transmitters TOP VIEW

Microcellular GSM (Power Class 5)

AMPS Cellular Phones

C 1 8 C C 1 8 C
Digital Cellular Phones
E 2 7 E E 2 7 E
Two-Way Paging E 3 6 E BIAS 3 6 E

CDPD Modems B 4 5 B B 4 5 B
MAX2601 MAX2602
Land Mobile Radios
PSOPII PSOPII

Typical Application Circuit appears at end of data sheet.

________________________________________________________________ Maxim Integrated Products 1

For free samples & the latest literature: http://www.maxim-ic.com, or phone 1-800-998-8800.
For small orders, phone 408-737-7600 ext. 3468.
 3.6V, 1W RF Power Transistors
for 900MHz Applications
ABSOLUTE MAXIMUM RATINGS
MAX2601/MAX2602

Collector-Emitter Voltage, Shorted Base (VCES) ....................17V Operating Temperature Range ...........................-40°C to +85°C
Emitter Base Reverse Voltage (VEBO)...................................2.3V Storage Temperature Range .............................-65°C to +165°C
BIAS Diode Reverse Breakdown Voltage (MAX2602) ..........2.3V Junction Temperature ......................................................+150°C
Average Collector Current (IC)........................................1200mA Lead Temperature (soldering, 10sec) .............................+300°C
Continuous Power Dissipation (TA = +70°C)
PSOPII (derate 80mW/°C above +70°C) (Note 1) ..........6.4W
Note 1: Backside slug must be properly soldered to ground plane (see Slug Layout Techniques section).
Stresses beyond those listed under “Absolute Maximum Ratings” may cause permanent damage to the device. These are stress ratings only, and functional
operation of the device at these or any other conditions beyond those indicated in the operational sections of the specifications is not implied. Exposure to
absolute maximum rating conditions for extended periods may affect device reliability.

DC ELECTRICAL CHARACTERISTICS
(TA = TMIN to TMAX, unless otherwise noted.)
PARAMETER SYMBOL CONDITIONS MIN TYP MAX UNITS
Collector-Emitter Breakdown BVCEO Open base 15
IC < 100µA V
Voltage BVCES Shorted base 15
Collector-Emitter Sustaining
LVCEO IC = 200mA 5.0 V
Voltage
Collector-Base Breakdown
BVCBO IC < 100µA, emitter open 15 V
Voltage
DC Current Gain hFE IC = 250mA, VCE = 3V 100
Collector Cutoff Current ICES VCE = 6V, VBE = 0V 0.05 1.5 µA
Output Capacitance COB VCB = 3V, IE = 0mA, f = 1MHz 9.6 pF

AC ELECTRICAL CHARACTERISTICS
(Test Circuit of Figure 1, VCC = 3.6V, VBB = 0.750V, ZLOAD = ZSOURCE = 50Ω, POUT = 30dBm, f = 836MHz, TA = +25°C, unless oth-
erwise noted.)
PARAMETER SYMBOL CONDITIONS MIN TYP MAX UNITS
Frequency Range f (Note 2) DC 1 GHz
Base Current IB 4.2 mA
VCC = 3.6V, POUT = 30dBm -43 dBc
Harmonics 2fo, 3fo dBc
VCC = 3.0V, POUT = 29dBm -42
Power Gain POUT = 30dBm 11.6 dB
Collector Efficiency η No modulation 58 %
Stability under Continuous
VSWR VCC = 5.5V, all angles (Note 3) 8:1
Load Mismatch Conditions
IM3 POUT = +30dBm total power, f1 = 835MHz, -16
Two-Tone IMR dBc
IM5 f2 = 836MHz -25
Noise Figure NF VBB = 0.9V 3.3 dB

Note 2: Guaranteed by design.

Note 3: Under these conditions: a) no spurious oscillations shall be observed at collector greater than -60dBc; b) no parametric
degradation is observable when mismatch is removed; and c) no current draw in excess of the package dissipation
capability is observed.

2 _______________________________________________________________________________________
 3.6V, 1W RF Power Transistors
for 900MHz Applications
__________________________________________Typical Operating Characteristics

MAX2601/MAX2602
(Test Circuit of Figure 1, input/output matching networks optimized for specific measurement frequency, VCC = 3.6V, VBB = 0.750V,
POUT = 30dBm, ZLOAD = ZSOURCE = 50Ω, f = 836MHz, TA = +25°C, unless otherwise noted.)

TWO-TONE OUTPUT POWER AND IM3 TWO-TONE OUTPUT POWER, IM3, IM5
COLLECTOR CURRENT vs. COLLECTOR CURRENT vs. INPUT POWER
1.0 31 35

MAX2601-03
MAX2601-01

MAX2601-02
POUT, IM3, AND IM5 POUT, IM3, AND IM5
ARE RMS COMPOSITE POUT
ARE RMS COMPOSITE
0.8 TWO-TONE POWER LEVELS TWO-TONE POWER
VBB = 1.00V POUT
30 25 LEVELS

POUT, IM3, IM5 (dBm)

VBB = 0.95V
POUT (dBm)

0.6
ICC (A)

IM3
29 15
VBB = 0.90V
0.4 IM3
IM5
28 5
0.2
VBB = 0.85V
VBB = 0.80V
0 27 -5
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 5 10 15 20 25
VCE (V) ICC (A) INPUT POWER (dBm)

TWO-TONE OUTPUT POWER, IM3, IM5 ACPR vs. OUTPUT POWER COLLECTOR EFFICIENCY vs. OUTPUT POWER
vs. INPUT POWER (f = 433MHz) (IS-54 π/4 DQPSK MODULATION, VBB = 0.85V) (IS-54 π/4 DQPSK MODULATION, VBB = 0.85V)
35 -20 60
MAX2601-05

MAX2601-06
MAX2601-04

POUT -22 3.0V POUT, IM3, AND IM5

ARE RMS COMPOSITE
50
-24 TWO-TONE POWER
25 LEVELS
POUT, IM3, IM5 (dBm)

-26 3.0V
40
EFFICIENCY (%)

POUT, IM3, AND IM5 IM3 3.6V

ACPR (dBc)

-28
ARE RMS COMPOSITE
15 TWO-TONE -30 30 3.6V
4.2V
POWER LEVELS 4.2V
-32
IM5 20
-34
5 4.8V 4.8V
-36
10
-38
-5 -40 0
5 10 15 20 25 10 15 20 25 30 35 10 15 20 25 30 35
INPUT POWER (dBm) OUTPUT POWER (dBm) OUTPUT POWER (dBm)

______________________________________________________________Pin Description
PIN
NAME FUNCTION
MAX2601 MAX2602
1, 8 1, 8 C Transistor Collector
2, 3, 6, 7, Slug 2, 6, 7, Slug E Transistor Emitter
Anode of the Biasing Diode that matches the thermal and process char-
acteristics of the power transistor. Requires a high-RF-impedance, low-
— 3 BIAS DC-impedance (e.g., inductor) connection to the transistor base (Pin 4).
Current through the biasing diode (into Pin 3) is proportional to 1/15 the
collector current in the transistor.
4, 5 4, 5 B Transistor Base

_______________________________________________________________________________________ 3
 3.6V, 1W RF Power Transistors
for 900MHz Applications
MAX2601/MAX2602

VCC
VBB 5Ω
1000pF 0.1µF
0.1µF 1000pF L1
100nH 24Ω

1 1000pF

4 8
RFIN 1000pF T2
10pF 2pF
5
T1 2, 6, 7
2pF 12pF
BACKSIDE
SLUG

L1 = COILCRAFT A05T INDUCTOR, 18.5nH

T1, T2 = 1", 50Ω TRANSMISSION LINE ON FR-4

Figure 1. Test Circuit

_______________Detailed Description
MAX2601/MAX2602
VCC VCC
The MAX2601/MAX2602 are high-performance silicon
bipolar transistors in power-enhanced, 8-pin SO pack-
ages. The base and collector connections use two pins
each to reduce series inductance. The emitter con-
RBIAS RFC
nects to three (MAX2602) or four (MAX2601) pins in
addition to a back-side heat slug, which solders direct-
ly to the PC board ground to reduce emitter inductance RFOUT
and improve thermal dissipation. The transistors are COUT
intended to be used in the common-emitter configura- RFC
tion for maximum power gain and power-added Q1 Q2
efficiency.
CBIAS
Current Mirror Bias CIN
(MAX2602 only)
The MAX2602 includes a high-performance silicon RFIN
bipolar RF power transistor and a thermally matched
biasing diode that matches the power transistor’s ther-
mal and process characteristics. This diode is used to Figure 2. Bias Diode Application
create a bias network that accurately controls the
power transistor’s collector current as the temperature
changes (Figure 2). temperature variations. Simply tying the biasing diode
The biasing diode is a scaled version of the power tran- to the supply through a resistor is adequate in most sit-
sistor’s base-emitter junction, in such a way that the uations. If large supply variations are anticipated, con-
current through the biasing diode is 1/15 the quiescent nect the biasing diode to a reference voltage through a
collector current of the RF power transistor. Supplying resistor, or use a stable current source. Connect the
the biasing diode with a constant current source and biasing diode to the base of the RF power transistor
connecting the diode’s anode to the RF power transis- through a large RF impedance, such as an RF choke
tor’s base ensures that the RF power transistor’s quies- (inductor), and decouple to ground through a surface-
cent collector current remains constant through mount chip capacitor larger than 1000pF.

4 _______________________________________________________________________________________
 3.6V, 1W RF Power Transistors
for 900MHz Applications
__________Applications Information Slug Layout Techniques

MAX2601/MAX2602
The most important connection to make to the
Optimum Port Impedance MAX2601/MAX2602 is the back side. It should connect
The source and load impedances presented to the directly to the PC board ground plane if it is on the top
MAX2601/MAX2602 have a direct impact upon its gain, side, or through numerous plated through-holes if the
output power, and linearity. Proper source- and load- ground plane is buried. For maximum gain, this con-
terminating impedances (ZS and ZL) presented to the nection should have very little self-inductance. Since it
power transistor base and collector will ensure optimum is also the thermal path for heat dissipation, it must
performance. have low thermal impedance, and the ground plane
For a power transistor, simply applying the conjugate of should be large.
the transistor’s input and output impedances calculated
from small-signal S-parameters will yield less than opti-
mum device performance.
For maximum efficiency at VBB = 0.75V and VCC =
3.6V, the optimum power-transistor source and load 4 3 2 1
impedances (as defined in Figure 3) are:
At 836MHz: ZS = 5.5 + j2.0
ZL = 6.5 + j1.5 MAX2601
2.8nH MAX2602 2.8nH
At 433MHz: ZS = 9.5 - j2.5
ZL = 8.5 - j1.5
ZS and ZL reflect the impedances that should be pre-
sented to the transistor’s base and collector. The pack-
2.8nH 2.8nH
age parasitics are dominated by inductance (as shown ZS ZL
in Figure 3), and need to be accounted for when calcu-
lating ZS and ZL.
The internal bond and package inductances shown 5 6 7 8
in Figure 3 should be included as part of the end-
application matching network, depending upon exact
layout topology.
Figure 3. Optimum Port Impedance

_______________________________________________________________________________________ 5
 3.6V, 1W RF Power Transistors
for 900MHz Applications
________________________________________________________Package Information
MAX2601/MAX2602

INCHES MILLIMETERS
DIM
MIN MAX MIN MAX
A 0.053 0.069 1.35 1.75
D A1 0.004 0.010 0.10 0.25
B 0.014 0.019 0.35 0.49
0°-8° C 0.007 0.010 0.19 0.25
A
E 0.150 0.157 3.80 4.00
0.101mm
0.004in.
e 0.050 1.27
e H 0.228 0.244 5.80 6.20
B A1 C L L 0.016 0.050 0.40 1.27

INCHES MILLIMETERS
8-Pin PSOPII DIM PINS
MIN MAX MIN MAX
D 8 0.189 0.197 4.80 5.00
E H 21-0041A

6 _______________________________________________________________________________________