High-Speed Broadband Video Amplifiers From Zarlink Raise Performance Yardsticks

Operational amplifiers are high-gain analog chips used to amplify, buffer, filter, and condition signals in a broad range of electronic equipment, including video, audio, and networking systems. Key performance characteristics of these amps - such as bandwidth, linearity, output drive, and power consumption - are usually tuned to meet the requirements of specific applications.

Zarlink's ZL40120/21/22/23 devices amplify high-resolution video signals at high speeds with very low distortion, while minimizing power consumption. The chips support higher bandwidths - up to 450 MHz (megahertz) - with greater signal stability than any other competing, low-power operational amplifiers. They are well-suited for driving high-resolution video signals in PCs (personal computers), laptops, high-definition broadcast and surveillance systems, professional cameras, medical imaging systems, and instrumentation.

"Zarlink's ZL40120 series of video drivers meets designer demand for high- speed chips that cleanly amplify wide-bandwidth signals without drawing much power," said Peter Minett, product line marketing manager, High-Performance Analog group, Zarlink Semiconductor. "The devices feature innovative process and design techniques that deliver best-in-class performance in areas that count the most for video equipment."

Zarlink's newest operational amps are built in the company's world-class HJV (high-performance, process version J, high-voltage) process, a complementary silicon bipolar technology that maximizes performance in high- voltage, high-speed analog devices.

Best-in-class feature sets

All four of Zarlink's new amps feature advanced current-feedback designs with balanced architectures. The ZL40121/23 devices are dual-matched, with two amps on each chip. The ZL40120/22 devices are quad-matched, with four amps on each.

In closed-loop circuits with a gain of 1, driving 100-ohm loads, the ZL40122/23 amps support bandwidths of up to 450 MHz and draw only 5.2 mA/A (milliamps per amp) of standby current. Their slew rates, or operating signal edge speeds, are very fast, measuring 1,500 V (volts) per microsecond.

Even at these bandwidths and speeds, the ZL40122/23 amps post exceptional ratings for linearity and stability. At frequencies of 1 MHz, with 2-Vpp (volts peak-to-peak) signals, driving a 100-ohm load, the devices have total harmonic distortion of only -83 dB (decibels), the best-in-class rating. Their differential gain rating is also best-in-class, at 0.015%.

Excellent for SXGA, XGA video

The mix of high-performance technical capabilities delivered by the ZL40122/23 devices make them excellent choices for driving high-resolution computer monitors based on VESA's (Video Electronics Standards Association) 1280 x 1024-pixel SXGA (super extended graphics array) specification.

Zarlink's ZL40120/21 chips also achieve the highest bandwidth rating in their power class. In closed loops with a gain of 1 and 100-ohm loads, they deliver 280 MHz and use only 3.3 mA/A of standby current. With these ratings, and their 1,100-V-per-microsecond slew rates, they are optimized for driving 1024 x 768-pixel XGA monitors.

The output drive currents of the ZL40120/21 are 65 mA, well above any competing devices. The devices have excellent linearity, as evidenced by best- in-class ratings for total harmonic distortion and differential gain. They are also very stable. In open-loop configurations, the amps have industry-leading margins for phase and gain, setting the stage for closed-loop amp circuitry with clean transient characteristics.

Surge protection

Zarlink's newest analog amps are highly tolerant to stress and power surges. Supply and output pins withstand more than 2 KV (kilovolts) of ESD (electro-static discharge), and input pins more than 1.2 KV. All pins pass the JEDEC (Joint Electronic Device Engineering Council) latch-up test of +/- 100 mA for 100 ms (millisecond). This surge-tolerant performance saves designers board space by minimizing the need for external protection components.

Availability, packaging, and pricing

Zarlink's ZL40120 series of operational amplifiers is now in production. All four devices are offered in SOIC (small-outline integrated circuit) packages with industry-standard pin outs, enabling them to fit seamlessly into existing equipment designs. The ZL40121/23 dual amps are in 8-pin SOIC packages, and the ZL4020/22 quad devices are in 14-pin SOIC packages. In 1K quantities, the ZL40121/23 amps are priced at US$1.65, and the ZL40120/122 amps at US$2.45. For information, visit http://products.zarlink.com/profiles/ZL40120.

About Zarlink Semiconductor

For almost 30 years, Zarlink Semiconductor has delivered semiconductor solutions that drive the capabilities of voice, enterprise, broadband and wireless communications. The company's success is built on its technology strengths including voice and data networks, consumer and ultra low power communications, and high-performance analog. For more information, visit http://www.zarlink.com/.

Certain statements in this press release constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks, uncertainties and assumptions include, among others, the risks discussed in documents filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Investors are encouraged to consider the risks detailed in those filings.

A high-resolution photograph is available at http://news.zarlink.com/visual_center/.

Zarlink, ZL, and the Zarlink Semiconductor logo are trademarks of Zarlink Semiconductor Inc.

CONTACT: Zarlink, Michael Salter, Media Relations,
613 270-7115, michael.salter@zarlink.com; United States, Natalie Sauve,
High Road Communications, 613 236-0909, nsauve@highroad.com; Europe, June
Stokes, Pinnacle Marketing Communications, 44 208-869-9345,
june@pinnacle-marketing.com