CARLSBAD, Calif. – February 23, 2021 – MaxLinear, Inc. (NYSE: MXL) and NI (NYSE: NATI) announced the integration of MaxLinear’s dual-band RF power amplifier (PA) linearization algorithm into NI’s RFIC test software middle. This integration enables extensive validation of power amplifier designs for new broadband cellular network infrastructures, improving power efficiency and reducing nonlinear effects. NI’s integrated and highly synchronized RF test platform, combined with MaxLinear’s new best-in-class linearization IP, provides design verification engineers with a simplified test and measurement approach that significantly reduces ACLR, improves EVM, and delivers full power efficiency Advantage.
The advancement of 5G networks has triggered a rapid increase in the deployment of multi-band radios that need to support both continuous and discontinuous broadband carrier aggregation configurations. These new RF front-end designs share a single high-bandwidth power amplifier and signal path, resulting in considerable cost and size savings. However, to achieve maximum energy efficiency, engineers need to drive these wideband power amplifiers to nonlinear operation and understand how to minimize the adverse effects of RF energy leaking into adjacent channels.
To address this challenge, NI’s RFIC test software integrates MaxLinear’s cutting-edge broadband linearization technology with the latest DC, digital, analog, and RF PXI instruments to enable a consolidated, more efficient, single-transmit radio chain architecture, Minimize leakage to adjacent channels.
Helen Kim, vice president of wireless technology and IP at MaxLinear, said: “Addressing a very difficult but central challenge in broadband cellular systems, the integration of our linearization IP with NI platforms enables rapid innovation. It provides engineers with tools to simplify power amplifier verification. Complements our goal of dramatically reducing the vast amounts of power consumed by today’s 4G and 5G RF radio units.”
“We have been helping our customers accelerate the pace of product development by automating device validation,” said Jesse Lyles, senior director of the semiconductor Business Unit at NI. “Clearly, energy-efficient 5G deployments require more robust validation solutions. Working with MaxLinear, we can provide customers with Verification solutions needed to accelerate time-to-market. We are excited to enhance NI’s RFIC applications with MaxLinear’s linearization algorithms to create better RF device performance.
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