Is there anybody can talk about single-chip for GSM?

[seadai]

Hi all,

I guess that most of you know that TI delivers Single-Chip Solution for GSM to Nokia.
Can anyone tell me whether TI employ "pure" CMOS tech only or BiCMOS tech. If it is CMOS, does it mean that Bipolar is dead already?

Thanks.

 

[lakeoffire]

I think that is CMOS only tech. TI migrated its bluetooth solution to single chip GSM.
Actually, Silicon Lab built the all-CMOS GSM RF front-end several years ago, although it was not in a single chip. And the Bipolar still survives, at least till now.

 

[crazy_man]

TI uses CMOS technology

 

[vfone]

TI uses both, BiCMOS and CMOS.
In my opinion bipolar will never die. Always will be applications for this process.

 

[Teddy]

Don't know about TI but know that bipolar is alive and kicking!
Look at any SiGe technology and you'll find its bipolar.
I do not believe it will die - actually they were saying this for last 10-15 yrs.
But number people who know how to design with it is going down....

 

[seadai]

I guess that Bipolar will survive in the carrier side, which dont care the device size and power consumption so much. How about user terminals, i mean handheld one?

PS, is there any other matching circuitry or filter needed between the antenna and the single chip GSM?

 

[Wilson_yu_chen]

Skyworks solutions also provide single chip GSM several years ago with BiCMOS
Process, and provide Frond-end module as well. More suprising thing is they already develope stable high performace single chip Frond end + transceiver which havn't been seen in this market although they use BiCMOS process, thus I believe BiCMOS still have many time room to play from now.

With Regards,