New Release of the NT1741, an Ultra-Low-Current Rx Booster Achieving Improved Receiver Sensitivity and Extended Battery Life for Compact Wireless Devices such as Hearing Aids

Nisshinbo Micro Devices Inc. will launch the NT1741, an ultra-low-current Rx booster for 2.4 GHz wireless communications such as Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE).

BLE is a short-range wireless communication technology that significantly reduces power consumption compared with conventional Bluetooth. It is widely used in various IoT and consumer devices, including smartphones and wearable devices. Although BLE communication can be implemented using only a System on Chip (SoC) and an antenna, demand for RF boosters is increasing to enhance communication stability and extend communication range.

Smartphone connectivity for sound quality adjustment is becoming increasingly popular in hearing aids. Bluetooth LE Audio Auracast™ broadcast audio is also gaining popularity as a way to receive audio information. Since hearing aids are required to directly receive public announcements in airports, railways, buses, and other environments, high receiver sensitivity and communication performance are essential. Furthermore, as medical devices, hearing aids require highly reliable wireless performance. Therefore, Rx boosters optimized for improved receiver performance are used to enhance reception.
On the other hand, hearing aids are compact devices with limited battery capacity, making low power consumption of wireless circuits essential for extended operating time. Therefore, Rx boosters are required to achieve both ultra-low current consumption and a small mounting footprint.

The NT1741 achieves industry-leading^*1 low current consumption of 1.5 mA in LNA mode and 1 µA in bypass mode while maintaining high RF performance. In addition, by integrating input/output matching circuits within its small package, the device helps reduce the number of external components and minimizes mounting area requirements.
These features enable both improved communication quality and extended battery life, contributing to enhanced performance and miniaturization of hearing aids and other compact wearable devices.

*1 Based on Nisshinbo Micro Devices Inc.'s research.

Features

1. Ultra-Low Current Consumption

While delivering the RF performance required for BLE Rx boosters, including gain, noise figure, and linearity, the NT1741 achieves ultra-low current consumption of 1.5 mA in LNA mode and 1 µA in bypass mode. This contributes to longer operating times for compact battery-powered devices such as hearing aids.

2. Space-Saving Design

The NT1741 is housed in the small EPFFP-6-FB package measuring 1.0 mm × 1.0 mm. Furthermore, because all RF matching circuits except for the power-supply bypass capacitor are integrated on-chip, the new Rx booster reduces the number of external components and minimizes mounting area requirements. This contributes to higher-density implementation and greater design flexibility for compact electronic devices.

Key Specifications (Please refer to the datasheet for details.)

• Frequency Range: 2400 MHz to 2500 MHz
• Supply Voltage: 1.8 V typ. (1.6 V to 3.7 V)
• Current Consumption: 1.5 mA typ. @ LNA Mode
  1 µA typ. @ Bypass Mode
• Gain: 13 dB typ. ＠ LNA Mode
• Noise Figure (NF): 2.3 dB typ. ＠ LNA Mode
• P-1dB(IN): -13 dBm typ. ＠ LNA Mode
• IIP3: 0 dBm typ. ＠ LNA Mode
• Insertion Loss: 1.0 dB @ Bypass Mode
• Package Size: 1.0 × 1.0 mm typ.
• No External Matching Circuit Required (Except Bypass Capacitor at VDD Terminal)

Applications

• Hearing Aids
• AI Glasses
• Earphones / Headphones
• 2.4 GHz Wireless Communication Applications Such as BLE, Thread and Zigbee