Industry Articles

Wireless Communications have become an integral part of everyday life, from broadcasting, networking, toys and inventory control to the medical field. Radio frequency (RF) circuits support a wide range of applications. RF integrated circuits (RFICs) allow easy access to the radio spectrum in myriad ways. They enable users to combine their unique characteristics with other electronic systems for greater flexibility, reliability, and portability.

Due to their inherently small size, RFICs allow for a higher degree of miniaturization, as in the case of battery-powered products. Unsurprisingly, the RFIC design process can vary widely and requires some specialized tools, but getting it right is critical to creating a high-performance system. Semiconductor options for integration can vary from bipolar, CMOS, and Bi-CMOS to the more exotic Silicon-on-Insulator (SOI), Indium Phosphide (InP), or other III-V technologies. Each has cost and performance advantages for differing applications.

Learn more about RFIC design and applications.