RF CMOS Chipset Under Development

Hyundai Electronics and Electronics and Telecommunication Research Institute have announced plans for the joint development of a radio frequency chipset, using the complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) fabrication process and RF CMOS integrated circuit technology.

To support this national research project, the Korean government's Information and Communication department has transferred to Hyundai RF CMOS integrated circuit technology that is operational at 1~2 GHz.

Hyundai will apply this technology to its own CMOS fabrication process at the 0.25 µm level. Then, working in conjunction with ETRI, Hyundai plans to develop an RF transmitter/receiver semiconductor chipset for use in personal communication service phones.

The chipset is scheduled for volume production by 2001.

Together, Hyundai and ETRI will select an RF standard. Hyundai will integrate its international frequency phase locked loop chip into an RF core chip, which ETRI will design and manufacture.

Hyundai will provide ETRI with CMOS process technology for RF which optimises the characteristics of transistors, condensers and other key functions.

Hyundai will develop the IF/PLL chip while ETRI develops the RF chip. Both designs will then be integrated into a single chip which will provide both transmitter and receiver functions.