Why Not a Single Semiconductor Technology Like Si CMOS?
Innovations in mixed signal Si CMOS technology have certainly had a dramatic impact in the cellular RF industry. However, the ability to realize Si SoCs that combine cellular baseband and transceiver functions did not come without its trials and tribulations. Many would agree that this combination was much delayed and not nearly as ubiquitous as once expected. During the race toward cellular SoCs there was also a great deal of hype generated around “the next logical step” of integrating the power amplifier (PA), primarily by new market entrants. Achieving this “next logical step” turned out to be a giant leap forward, a leap that has yet to be attained. Despite the dramatic improvement in RF functionality in Si CMOS, efficiently delivering the power output required by high-volume cellular standards like GSM/GPRS proved difficult in standard Si CMOS process technologies. To satisfy these basic needs, many new market entrants have turned to customized Si process technologies and/or uniqu
