Qorvo® Launches SOI Portfolio to Streamline RF Control and Remove Negative Bias

Key Takeaways

Qorvo introduces a new portfolio of SOI RF switches and digital step attenuators aimed at streamlining RF system design for defense and aerospace applications.
These solutions offer enhanced performance, including fast switching speeds, high isolation, and high linearity, while reducing design complexity and BOM count.
The products are now available and will be showcased at IMS2026 from June 7-12 in Boston.

Innovative Solutions for RF Design

Qorvo has launched a new portfolio of silicon-on-insulator (SOI) RF switches and digital step attenuators tailored for defense, aerospace, and infrastructure sectors. This new range is designed to simplify RF system architecture, minimize bill of materials (BOM) complexity, and enhance integration capabilities in wideband applications.

The SOI portfolio directly addresses the increasing demand for broader frequency coverage, agile signal routing, and straightforward integration processes. Unlike traditional GaAs-based RF control components, which often involve complex multi-vendor RF control chains, Qorvo’s solutions provide a more streamlined alternative.

A notable advantage of these products is their TTL-compatible control. This feature eliminates the requirement for a negative voltage rail, simplifying biasing networks, reducing the BOM count, and optimizing board layouts. Importantly, these changes do not compromise the fast switching speeds, high isolation, and high linearity that are critical in defense and aerospace applications.

Doug Bostrom, general manager of Qorvo’s Defense and Aerospace business, emphasized the importance of these innovations: “Customers are looking for ways to simplify RF control architectures without sacrificing the switching speed and RF performance required in modern defense systems.”

Product Details

The portfolio includes several products tailored for specific applications:

QPC2320: A reflective SPDT switch with a frequency range of up to 15 GHz. It features low insertion loss, high isolation, and high linearity, ideal for radar, electronic warfare (EW), and secure communications.
QPC2420: Another SPDT switch, capable of operating up to 30 GHz, which offers wideband coverage and compact design. It is suited for wideband radar, SATCOM, and test and measurement applications.
QPC218: A reflective SP8T switch operating up to 8 GHz, designed for compact integration and high linearity, perfect for filter banks and multi-band radios.
QPC5330: A 6-bit digital step attenuator up to 15 GHz that ensures precise attenuation and glitch-safe operation, making it suitable for signal conditioning and radar/EW applications.
QPC5430: This 6-bit digital step attenuator operates up to 30 GHz and allows for wideband attenuation and daisy-chain support, ideal for test and measurement as well as communications systems.

These solutions allow designers to consolidate the switch and attenuator functionalities into a unified RF control platform. This standardization helps reduce routing complexity, minimizes calibration efforts, and accelerates design reuse across multiple programs.

Compared to conventional GaAs switches and multi-component RF control chains, Qorvo’s SOI solutions enable simpler biasing methods and easier integration without sacrificing the essential RF performance needed in advanced defense and aerospace scenarios. This portfolio aligns with industry trends that favor wider bandwidths and agile routing requirements, all while addressing the need for reduced size, weight, and power (SWaP) in modern applications.

Available now from Qorvo and authorized distributors, this SOI RF portfolio represents a significant advancement in RF control technologies. Qorvo will demonstrate its newest innovations, including the SOI portfolio, at IMS2026 from June 7-12 in Boston, providing an opportunity for stakeholders to learn more about these cutting-edge solutions.

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