MMIC Package Customization - Footprint-Compatible Solutions for Your System
Obsolescence Management and EOL Part Replacement
LTB (Last Time Buy) and EOL (End of Life) are among the most unwelcome acronyms in the ranks of Procurement and Engineering. Component obsolescence saddles customers with the burden of tying cash up in inventory on their balance sheet, or worse, redesigning their system around a replacement part that may not be entirely form-fit-function compatible with the EOL part. Any way it plays out, it’s always a costly and burdensome scenario for customers.
That’s why Mini-Circuits has always maintained an internal policy to support all active products in our portfolio through the life of the customer’s system. While that commitment can come at a cost, in the long run, it’s earned the trust and loyalty of the industry, and it’s one reason customers choose to do business with us.
Beyond the stability of supply and longevity of our own products, as the RF component supply base has consolidated, inevitably leading to product line rationalization and obsolescence of many models still in active use, Mini-Circuits has supported many customers with form-fit-function compatible replacement parts, meeting requirements for RF performance while avoiding the need for customer PCB redesign. This capability has been especially valuable for MMIC devices. Over 30 years of MMIC design experience and in-house MMIC packaging and assembly operations gives us the capability to repackage die from our broad selection of MMICs into the customers desired package to avert LTB and EOL concerns.
Repackaging a Wideband MMIC LNA from 2x2mm QFN to SOT-363
While the EOL blues is hardly a new tune, we still see customers looking for EOL replacements several years after the original part went out of production. Recently, one customer, faced with an EOL scenario with a component from another supplier, was drawn to the performance similarity of the LEE2-6+ MMIC low noise amplifier (LNA) in the Mini-Circuits portfolio. While the 2x2mm package on this model is attractive for new designs, this customer needed the device in a SOT-363 package for their existing board layout.
After evaluating the requirements, the die was transferred to the SOT-363 package, renamed the PSA2-6+, recharacterized, and offered as an off-the-shelf catalog part for the customer’s convenience – and to extend availability to others who may need the amplifier.
A comparison of the gain and noise figure of the LEE2-6+ and the PSA2-6+ is shown below.
LEE2-6+
LEE2-6+
For the low frequency portion of the band through mid-band (3 to 4 GHz), the performance is nearly identical. For example, at 4 GHz and +25⁰C, the gain of both devices is slightly above 15 dB. The NF at 4 GHz for the LEE2-6+ is approximately 2.5 dB, whereas its SOT-363 repackaged cousin boasts an even lower NF at 4 GHz. Due to the higher level of parasitic inductance and capacitance inherent in the SOT-363 package vs. the 2x2mm package, there is a very small difference in performance in the highest portion of the band between the two components.
Form, Fit & Function Compatible Solutions
A form, fit and function solution to the customer’s EOL problem was achieved, with all the back-end processing handled by Mini-Circuits, no contract manufacturers required. This case was unique in that the new part was offered as a catalog model from stock, but Mini-Circuits performs repackaging and package customizations as specials for specific customers all the time, though it may not be immediately obvious because these products don’t appear on our website.
Our native capabilities to quickly mount, bond and encapsulate MMIC die from our extensive catalog selection of active and passive devices, as well as to characterize the newly packaged parts offer customers capabilities not typical of smaller suppliers, where back-end processing is often performed by third-party contract manufacturers, or larger suppliers who may decline projects for lower-volume runs.
This is one of many ways we’re able to collaborate with customers at the engineering level to support their project success. Bottom line: if you see something you need in a different package, get in touch, and our team is here to discuss your requirements.
