e2v breaks the 2.2 Gsps barrier for high speed digitisation with a new family of 10-bit data converters starting at 2.5 Gsps

e2v, the leading designer and manufacturer of specialised electronic components, today announced the launch of a new family of 10-bit analogue-to-digital data converters (ADCs) sampling at 2.5 Gsps in 1st and 2nd Nyquist zones, coupled with a 25% increase in analogue input bandwidth. This performance is achieved using e2v’s award-winning monolithic data converter design technology; the first to incorporate the latest state-of-the-art bipolar silicon technology B7HF200 from Infineon.

e2v’s EV10AS150 ADC series is delivered as a combined 10-bit 2.5 Gsps ADC and DMUX device. It features an industry leading 2.5 Gsps performance from a single core ADC chip and an increased full-power input analogue bandwidth of 4 GHz. The devices are ideally suited to demanding receiver applications operating in high intermediate frequency (IF) zones, such as direct-RF sampling, telecom test instrumentation, digitiser systems, automatic test equipment, wideband satellite receivers, and high speed data storage.

 The 10-bit ADC family is the first release from e2v incorporating Infineon’s latest fully bipolar SiGeC silicon technology, featuring 200 GHz fT transit frequency, improved transistor matching, lower power consumption, TaN precision resistor and 4-level copper interconnect. B7HF200 has been optimized for new emerging high speed applications with operating frequencies up to 100 GHz and above (for example high speed data com, high speed testing, automotive and industrial millimetre wave sensors).

Infineon Marketing Manager, Custom RF Winfried Gaal said: “Our Custom RF program grants access to Infineon’s leading edge technologies and services and thus facilitates the success of our partners. With our continuous B7HF200 cooperation we are enabling e2v to develop outstanding products for numerous specialty high speed receiver applications”.

The EV10AS150 series provides: 10-bit 2.5 Gsps performance of >60 dB spurious free dynamic range (SFDR) for IF and direct sampling applications at full scale, signal-to-noise (SNR) performance of 51 dB, and an Effective Number of Bits (ENOB) of 8 bits at an unprecedented 2.5 Gsps data rate and input frequency of 2.5 GHz. To take advantage of the 2nd Nyquist operation capability, a 4 GHz input analogue bandwidth is provided.  The 10-bit 2.5 Gsps ADC features a built-in selectable ratio DMUX output, 1:2 or 1:4 for easy interface into industry standard FPGAs.

Thierry Gouvernel, General Manager of e2v’s Broadband Data Converters, Microprocessors & Services (BMS) business unit commented: “The launch of this latest high speed 10-bit ADC is the result of e2v’s commitment to digital receiver designers seeking truly high speed broadband solutions, and our vision of providing the industry with further advances in performance, while reducing complexity and costs of our customer’s RF receiver systems. Through our continued partnership with Infineon we can focus on the needs of our high performance customers as our first priority”.

This 10-bit 2.5 Gsps ADC product release is coupled with the release of 10-bit 1.5 Gsps (EV10AS003B), 10-bit 2 Gsps ADC (EV10AS004B) and 10-bit 2.2 Gsps ADC (EV10AS008B) products, replacing earlier 10-bit ADC versions from e2v. They feature identical EBGA317, CBGA152 or CI-CGA152 pin packages for easy upgrades of earlier versions with samples available now. The EV10AS150 series is delivered in an 25 x 35 mm EBGA317 pin package in commercial or industrial (Tcase > -20°C, TJ <110°C) temperature ranges with samples available in November 2008.

-End-

Press contact:

Sylvie Mattei, Communications Manager

Phone: +33 4 76 58 30 25, mailto:sylvie.mattei@e2v.com

NOTES FOR EDITORS

e2v technologies plc

e2v technologies is a leading designer, developer and manufacturer of specialised components and subsystems, falling within two product groups:

•  Electronic tubes
•  Sensors and Semiconductors

These products enable some of the world’s leading OEMs to deliver innovative systems for medical and science, aerospace and defence, and commercial and industrial applications.

For the year ended 31 March 2008, e2v achieved sales of £205m and is listed on the London Stock Exchange (e2v.l).  In July 2006 e2v technologies plc acquired a leading designer, manufacturer and distributor of specialised electronic components and sub-systems, based in Grenoble, France and in May of 2007 e2v plc acquired MiCS Microchemical Systems SA a designer and manufacturer of semiconductor based gas sensors.  These acquisitions strengthen the Group’s position as a major global provider of specialised electronic components and subsystems.

e2v’s products are supplied into three core market areas:

•    Medical & Science: Sensor technology includes imaging sensors for intra-oral and panoramic dental X-ray, mammography, life science applications and X-ray microscopy. Electronic tubes are the enabling technology behind radiotherapy cancer treatments, microwave medical therapy and high-energy physics.
•    Aerospace & Defence: Sensor technology includes products for military surveillance, targeting and guidance, space-based imaging and astronomy, radar, electronic warfare, and broadband data converters and microprocessors for aerospace applications.  Electronic tubes provide the enabling technology behind radars, electronic countermeasures (ECM), electronic warfare and satellite communications.
•    Commercial & Industrial: Sensor technology includes marine radars, industrial safety sensors, automotive radars and alarms, thermal imaging cameras used by fire fighters, CCD and CMOS high resolution line scan cameras for industrial inspection. Electronic tubes provide enabling technology behind TV broadcast, satellite communications, marine radar and food & industrial processing.

The overall purpose of the business is to grow sustainable shareholder value whilst appropriately meeting the expectations of customers, people, partners, suppliers and the wider community.  e2v’s vision is to create value through bright ideas in technology and materials science. The Company’s mission is to place customers at the heart of the business, providing enabling products of premium quality that extend technical barriers and enhance the competitive position of our partners.

e2v has approximately 1,800 employees worldwide with three UK based manufacturing sites in Chelmsford, Lincoln and High Wycombe, one in Grenoble, France and one in Corcelles, Switzerland.  In addition e2v has sales offices in the UK, USA, Germany, France and Hong Kong, as well as a network of distributors and representatives covering other key territories.

Further information on e2v technologies plc is available from its website, www.e2v.com