Linear Drivers with Bypass
High Linearity Amplifiers with Bypass for the Most Demanding Transmit Chains
About linear drivers with bypass: high-OIP3 transmit-chain drivers with an integrated bypass path so the amp can be electrically removed when full-power transmit isn't needed. Read more »Read less «
A linear driver with bypass is a high-OIP3 transmit-chain driver with an integrated SPDT switch that lets the amplifier be electrically removed from the signal path under digital control. In normal operation the part drives the final PA at full transmit gain. When the transmit power requirement drops — idle frames, low-data-rate modes, calibration cycles — the bypass path replaces the driver gain with a small fixed insertion loss, saving DC power and reducing self-generated noise.
Selection follows the same priorities as a standard linear driver (OIP3, OP1, gain flatness), with the addition of bypass insertion loss and switching speed. Most parts spec sub-microsecond switching so they can fit inside a TDD radio's transmit-receive transition window.
Typical use cases include TDD cellular and DAS transmit chains, point-to-point microwave links with adaptive coding modes, satellite ground terminals with wide-dynamic-range transmit power, and battery-powered transmitters where DC current matters. AEC-Q100 grade-2 qualified variants are denoted with a "-W" suffix.
The table below lists the active linear-driver-with-bypass portfolio sorted by SKU. Click any SKU for the full data sheet, S-parameters, and reference designs.
| Product | Description | Min Freq (GHz) | Max Freq (GHz) | Parametric Charts | Reference Conditions | Gain(dB) | NF(dB) | OP1dB (dBm) | OIP3 (dBm) | Vdd Range (V) | Idd Range (mA) | Features | Package (mm) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GRF2040 | Broadband Linear Gain Block with Bypass |
0.05 | 5 | 5V/90mA/2000MHz |
10.2 | 3.1 | 20 | 36 | 2.7-8.0 | 15-90 | Broadband, low noise, internally matched |
1.5 DFN-6 | |
| GRF2042 | Linear Gain Block with Bypass |
0.15 | 6.0 | 5V/80mA/1700MHz |
15.5 | 2.1 | 22.0 | 38.0 | 2.7-6.0 | 20-100 | Flat gain; low noise; high linearity; internally matched; bypass |
1.5 DFN-6 | |
| GRF2043 | Linear Gain Block with Bypass |
0.15 | 6.0 | 5V/80mA/1.9GHz |
18.5 | 1.8 | 22.0 | 36.0 | 2.7-6.0 | 20-100 | Bypass; low noise; high linearity; internally matched; flex bias |
1.5 DFN-6 | |
| GRF4042 | LNA w/ Bypass & Guerrilla Armor™ |
0.4 | 2.7 | 5V/70mA/1.9GHz |
16.0 | 1 | 22 | 36.3 | 1.8-5.0 | 15-90 | High gain; low noise; internal match; flex bias; bypass |
2.0 QFN-12 | |
| GRF4142 | LNA/Driver with Bypass |
0.03 | 6 | 3.3V/50mA/1.9GHz |
15.3 | 0.9 | 19.3 | 33.0 | 1.8-5.0 | 15-80 | High gain; low noise; flex bias; bypass; single logic control |
1.5 DFN-6 |
* = Product is in Pre-Production. Contact [email protected] for minimum order quantity.