NXP Kicks Off High Performance RF Design Challenge

10th January 2011

ES Admin

0 0

NXP Semiconductors N.V. (Nasdaq: NXPI) has now opened registration for its first-ever High Performance RF Design Challenge, inviting RF engineers and students worldwide to submit creative application ideas for RF power devices. RF power transistors have traditionally been used in telecommunications, aerospace and broadcast infrastructure, as well as various industrial, scientific and medical applications.

As RF LDMOS technology has become more powerful, rugged and cost-effective, this has in turn enabled exciting new applications such as RF-driven lamps. The NXP HPRF Design Challenge will award prizes to design entries based on criteria including creativity, design efficiency, usefulness, originality and proof of concept. Prizes worth $25,000 include an all-expenses-paid trip to the 2011 MTT-S International Microwave Symposium in Baltimore, Maryland, US.

* The NXP High Performance RF Design Challenge will take place in three phases:
o Phase I: Conceptual Design – January 10, 2011 to February 20, 2011
o Phase II: Hardware Design – February 28, 2011 to April 24, 2011
o Phase III: Prototype – May 2, 2011 to May 29, 2011
* The Conceptual Design Phase requires an initial design, including an abstract, title and block diagram. Contestants receive a free HPRF Design Challenge kit once a valid entry has been submitted.
* During the Hardware Design Phase, each contestant will develop and provide a proof of concept of a working prototype – for example, as a video or as a measurement report – as well as an accompanying bill-of-materials, schematics, layout file and other design-related material.
* A group of finalists from EMEA, Asia Pacific and the Americas will enter the Final Prototype Phase, during which each contestant will be given an opportunity to polish his or her design in a regional NXP HPRF design lab, with transportation and accommodation costs covered by NXP.
* The top three finalists will have an all-expenses-paid trip to IMS2011. The Grand Prize will include a $3,000 Apple Store® voucher.
* Registered Design Challenge Community members will also be eligible to rate and vote on design entries, alongside a panel of judges from NXP.

* “High Performance RF technologies have traditionally been used to solve the toughest engineering challenges, in applications ranging from satellite receivers, wireless base stations and broadcast transmitters, to ISM, aerospace and defense. The goal of our HPRF Design Challenge is to inspire talented RF engineers to think creatively and bring RF power to new and interesting application areas. In other words: Be daring. Surprise us! And we’ll support you in bringing your concepts to life,” said John Croteau, senior vice president and general manager, high performance RF and power lighting