This document provides an overview of key components in the radio frequency (RF) front end of cellular handsets, including RF filters, power amplifiers (PAs), antenna switches, and tunability technologies. It discusses technology trends, market forecasts and shares, and profiles of major players for each component type through 2016. It also examines how changes at the component level and the rise of tunability are impacting RF front end module architectures and the competitive landscape. The RF component market for handsets is projected to reach $4.7 billion by 2016, up from $3.6 billion in 2011, driven primarily by increased adoption of LTE and demand for duplexers and tunable components.

1. RF Filters, PAs, Antenna
Switches & Tunability for
Cellular Handsets
System Plus Consulting Taiyo Yuden Wispry Triquint TDK-EPC
Sony
SAMPLE
© 2012

2. RF filters, PAs, antenna switches and tunability for cellular
handsets
Table of contents
• Introduction and Definitions 3 4. Tunability 151
• Executive Summary 19 – Drivers for tunable architectures
– Application description: antenna tuning, tunable PA,
1. RF Filter / Duplexer Market 33
tunable filters/duplexers
– Overview of RF filters / duplexers
– Tuning technology platforms
– SAW market forecasts and market share
– Profile of key players
– Technology trends for SAW filters and duplexers
– Tunability pricing, market forecasts and market share
– BAW market forecasts and market share
– Technology trends for FBAR / BAW filters and 5. FEM Architecture Evolution 214
duplexers – Key drivers for radio front end modules
– Trends for GSM FEM
2. Power Amplifier Market 84
– Drivers and curent architectures for 3G and 4G phones
– Technology trends for power amplifiers
– FEM market forecasts
– PA pricing, market forecasts and market share
6. Background on the RF Industry and Technology Principles
3. Antenna Switching Market 117
274
– Technology trends for antenna switching
– RF ecosystem, supply chain and global drivers
– GaAs switches
– Architecture of RF filters / duplexers
– HR-SOI switches
– Principles of SAW filters and duplexers
– SOS switches
– Principles of FBAR / BAW filters and duplexers
– Bulk CMOS switches
– MEMS for antenna switching • Conclusion and Perspectives 311
– Antenna switching pricing, market forecasts and
market share
© 2012 • 2

3. Objectives of the Report
– To provide a synthetic view on the market data for the most important RF components used in cellphone FEM: key market
metrics & dynamics:
• Unit shipments and revenues by type of sensor
• Average selling price analysis and expected evolution
• Market shares with detailed breakdown for each player and major OEM contracts
– To provide an analysis on the potential for each technology for each type of device and the impact at the global
architecture level:
• Specificities and competitive situation for current technologies and new developments
• Penetration of technologies in 2011 and expected evolution through 2016
• Impact of new packaging technologies (flip-chip, WLP…)
• How technology changes at the component level will impact the global architectures, and vice versa
– To provide a deep analysis on the challenges and opportunities for tunability in handsets:
• Description of the different types of tuners and level of integration
• Which driver for tunability, why did it start, how market adoption will be like?
• Key tuner providers
• Different levels of processing and strategies for integration in the system (MCU…)
• Insight about architecture changes linked to the emergence of antenna tuners and other tuners…
– To provide a clear understanding of RF FEM value chain, infrastructure & players for the cellular handset business:
• List of major players for each device under consideration
• Analysis on the potential new entrants with disruptive technologies
• Description of the RF ecosystem: link between component providers, module makers, platform companies, OEMs
• Description of the value chain with major players from design to packaging
© 2012 • 3

4. Who should buy?
• Filter, PA, Switch, Tuner suppliers • Mobile phone OEMs, Platform makers
– Evaluate market potential of future technologies and – Evaluate market potential of future technologies and
products products to comply with new standards
– Understand the differentiated value of your products and – Evaluate the benefits of using these new technologies
technologies in this market in your end system, design architectures for the next
generation of systems
– Build roadmap for modules: which type of modules?
When? – Screen potential new suppliers able to provide new
functionalities, or cost and size savings
– Identify new business opportunities such as tuners,
envelope tracking…
• R&D centers
– Identify potential strategic partners or technology
– Understand how the new front-end and packaging
providers: for more integration…
technologies will impact the future business
– Monitor and benchmark your competitor’s advancements
– Evaluate market potential of future technologies and
products for new applicative markets
• GaAs, SOI, CMOS, MEMS foundries, wafer suppliers,
– Identify the best candidates for technology transfer
packaging houses
– Understand what are the applications that will drive the
• Financial & strategic investors
volumes in 2016
– Understand the structure and value chain of the cellular
– Identify new business opportunities and prospects
handset RF industry
– Estimate the potential of new devices such as antenna
• Specialists of baseband/ transceiver, of application tuners…
processor…
– Get the list of the main key players and emerging start-
– Spot new opportunities and define diversification ups of this industry worldwide
strategies
© 2012 • 4

5. Introduction
• Market for key components of the RF part to reach $4.7B in 2016
– The radio-front end is a key part in every cell phone, from low cost GSM handset to multi-mode multi-band LTE smartphones.
This market is very fragmented in terms of architectures, however there are a few types of components that are key. Filters or
duplexers, power amplifiers and antenna switches are at the heart of every cell phone radio. Those components represent a
$3.6B market in 2011 already, growing at a 5.6% rate annually until 2016. This report highlights that as this market becomes
increasingly attractive, major technical evolutions and changes are observed in the competitive landscape for those categories
of devices.
– Filters and duplexers are the most dynamic market. Driven by duplexers which are growing at a 10.5% rate annually, this market
will reach $1.7B in 2016. Indeed smartphones are widely using WCDMA bands and LTE is a new strong driver. Depending on
each band, SAW or BAW developments are candidate to further growth. While Epcos and Murata dominate the SAW area, we
observe a fierce competition between Avago and TriQuint in the BAW segment.
Market for RF filters and duplexers in mobile
phones RF part ($M)
Yole développement © March 2012
2000
SAW 2011 market share ($M) BAW 2011 market share ($M)
Others
(detailed Others
in the (detailed
report) in the
18.9% report)
Epcos
8.5%
42.2% Triquint
26.4%
Murata Avago
0 38.9% 65.0%
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Discretes SAW and BAW filters SAW and BAW duplexers Yole développement © March 2012 Yole développement © March 2012
© 2012 • 5

6. Introduction
– Power amplifier is another strategic component in the RF part. This market matures but we still see many new technologies
which impact the market. One current trend is that converged PAs and more broadband PAs are increasingly accepted in the
market. GaAs is still dominating the PA market by far but is poised to loose market shares as CMOS PAs are growing, starting at
the low end side of the market, and as SOI technology could be used for PAs in the near future. There is thus still room for many
changes in the competitive landscape dominated by Skyworks, with RFMD, TriQuint, Avago and Murata / Renesas as
challengers.
– Antenna switches also becomes more mature however we observe evolutions towards 2 directions. First we see an evolution
towards more performance for the new LTE bands and increasing number of throws. This is where Peregrine Semiconductor has
a leading position. Second we see massive adoption of SOI technology since 2010. All big players are now involved with this
technology which offers a good price/performance ratio. GaAs switches are thus decreasing, although some players still release
products with exceptional performances, such as Sony. At the same time new technologies are getting closer to production, this
is what is observed with MEMS.
• Tunability and changes in achitectures
– This report provides a detailed analysis on tunability, which is a new hot topic for radio front end modules. Indeed after years of
development, antenna tuners have been accepted in 2011. Not only GaAs switches but also ferroelectric capacitors and MEMS
variable capacitors have been successfully integrated into flagship products such as some Samsung Galaxy S2 smartphones.
While there is no consensus yet on this topic, antenna tuners are now really providing a significant value proposition, we thus
expect it to be the next very hot market in this space. New types of tuners and massive deployment of LTE within 2014 will be
additional drivers for tunability. Leading the MEMS field, Wispry will be a key player to watch, while Sony and Peregrine also
offer promising approaches based on alternative technologies. The acquisition of Paratek by RIM in March 2012 is also a sign
that antenna tuners will be a strategic technology to be integrated in many cellphone platforms in the near future.
© 2012 • 6

7. Introduction
Wispry RF MEMS antenna tuner in Samsung Focus Flash and die SEM view (source System Plus Consulting)
– All those changes at the component level (PA, ASM, filters...) and the rise of tunability are having a dramatic impact in the global
RF part architecture evolutions. Both technical and competitive challenges and opportunities are shaping the future front end
modules. Similarly the trend for integration in various types of modules is driving changes at the individual component level.
New packaging technologies now enable compact multi-chip packages: Rx modules, PA modules, multi-duplexers… All
together, the front-end modules are already a $2.0B market in 2011 and grow at a 12.0% yearly rate, this will represent more than
3 times the value of the standalone PAs, filters/duplexers, tuners in 2016.
• Rapid evolution of technology and competitive landscape
– While we start to see some level of consolidation, the competitive landscape in this RF market is changing quickly. Some
companies are getting mire vertically integrated, such as Murata after the acquisition of Renesas PA business, which may
translate in a change in the business model of the company. As highlighted in the report, there are today a limited number of
companies which dominate this RF space, but generally those players are involved in very specific market space, this means
that significant evolutions can be expected in the near future. For instance Skyworks is leading the PA market and is big in
switches but has no activity in filters, while Avago is a large PA vendor and dominates the BAW filter market, but is neither
involved in SAW filters nor in antenna switches.
© 2012 • 7

8. Introduction
– The evolution of architecture towards modules is one driver that pushes each company to be able to handle all types of
components or to set up specific partnerships. Another driver for competitive change is the technical evolution which is very
quick in this area: at the antenna switch level, players with early involvement in SOI switches (Skyworks, RFMD) are getting more
market shares against players involved in GaAs (TriQuint…). This type of change should be observed with PA technology as
well.
Antenna switches in handsets - Technology breakdown
- In value -
Yole développement © March 2012
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
GaAs SOS HR-SOI MEMS
© 2012 • 8

9. EXTRACT OF ANTENNA
SWITCH PART
© 2012 • 9

10. Where are integrated RF switches?
Popularity of technologies in 2012
Multiband Multimode FEM
4 PA Filters
Multiband (GSM) (GSM) Antenna
Baseband transceive Switch Antenna
(Multiband) PA + Duplexer Module
r
PA + Duplexer (ASM)
PA Duplexer
PA module
PA die
PA die Dual band Only antenna switches
PA die SPxT switch
taken into account in this
PA die report
Interstage switches are not
PA receiver side / antenna considered in the forecasts
Band switching diversity
 1. HR-SOI substrate (performance driven because of LTE) T/R antenna switch
 2. GaAs substrate  1. SOS substrate  1. GaAs substrate
 2. Separated GaAs die  2. HR-SOI substrate
 3. HR-SOI  3. SOS substrate
 4. CMOS (Infineon  has been used then replaced)
© 2012 • 10

11. Overview of Cell Phone RF Switch Technologies
(at the system level, not individual switch level)
GaAs FET /
PIN Diodes SOS HR-SOI MEMS CMOS
pHEMT
Technical factors
Low insertion loss ++ ++ +++ +++ +++ +
Isolation and low
+++ ++ ++ ++ +++ ++
crosstalk
Switching speed ++ ++ ++ +++ ++ +++
++
Frequency range : +
(capacitive switches
+++ (limited in low +++ ++ -
Bandwidth frequencies)
limited in low
frequencies)
Low power
++ - +++ +++ ++ +++
consumption
Small size + - ++ ++ + +++
-
+++
Potential for (needs external
(integration of power
capacitors + ESD and - + ++ +++
integration digital controller on a
management unit,
converge PA, tuner…)
separate CMOS die)
Business factors
-
Low cost +++ +++ (costly ++ + +++
substrate)
Low risk (Maturity,
experience, supply chain +++ +++ ++ + - -
optimization)
Just starting in handset
Medium performance – Not ready yet (size and
(use for ISM 900MHz
Low & medium Not used Very -high-perf: mainstream part of the hot switching issues) –
Use performance anymore SP9T… market + High- Promising for high-
band). But but loss is
generally too high to be
performance performance segments
used as a antenna switch
© 2012 • 11

12. GaAs Switches
Example: Sony J-PHEMT switch
• Sony has released a new switch technology
with excellent performances
– PN junction gate provides better performance than
standard MMIC processes
– Low insertion loss: typically 0.5dB for cellular bands
• Many products are using this technology
– Antenna switch modules
– Antenna tuner
– Other modules (PA modules…)
– For diversity switch: Sony uses CMOS SOI technology
SP10T – 2.6x3.4mm²
Source: Sony
© 2012 • 12

13. New packaging approaches
Taiyo Yuden - Embedded GaAs switch antenna in PCB
GaAs antenna switch is embedded in
the PCB:
• Allows size reduction (XY & Z) of
the module
• PCB substrate has an enhanced
rigidity thanks to a Cu core
• PCB has small hole size and
reduced Cu line thickness
• Component mounting requires high
accuracy
© 2012 • 13

14. Switch supply chain
Antenna switch Platform makers /
Front-end modules
Handset OEMs
Design Manufacturing
Integrated players
RFMD, Skyworks, Triquint…
Integrated players Platform makers
Qualcomm, ST Ericsonn, Intel
Mobile Communication…
RFMD, Skyworks, Triquint…
Pure-play switch
manufacturers Handset OEMS
FEM makers
Samsung, Nokia, Apple…
Sony, Peregrine… Murata, Epcos, Kyocera, Hitachi,
Avago…
Commercialization of:
 Either ASM
 Or bare dies to be integrated in FEM with other components (filters…)
© 2012 • 14

15. Available MEMS Reports
MEMS Cosim+ Infrared Detector Sensor fusion of
Technology Trends Market, Applications acceleros, gyros &
MEMJET MEMS Manufacturing
for Inertials MEMS and Technology Trends magnetometers
Cost Simulation Tool
New! New! New! New! New!
Trends in MEMS
Permanent Wafer Thin Wafer Ferro-Electric
MEMS Microphone Manufacturing &
Bonding Handling Thin Films
Packaging
New! New! New! New!
Uncooled IR Cameras &
Motion Sensors for
IMU &High MEMS & Sensors Detectors for CMOS Image
Consumer & Mobile Thermography & Night
Performance MEMS for Smartphones Sensors
applications Vision
Emerging MEMS MEMS Players:
Technologies & Markets Analysis of Financial
Performance
© 2012 • 15

16. Yole activities in MEMS
Market
Research Market research,
Reports Technology & Strategy
Consulting services
Media business
News feed / Magazines /
Webcasts
www.yole.fr
© 2012 • 16