Impinj Announces 14-bit, 300 Msps Digital-to-Analog Converter Development Platform; First Application of Self-Adaptive Silicon Boosts Communication System Performance.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 6, 2002

Impinj Inc., a fabless semiconductor company developing integrated circuit products for communication systems, today announced its first product using the company's revolutionary Self-Adaptive Silicon(TM) technology. Impinj's patented approach uses transistor physics in a fundamentally new way, enabling precision analog and wideband RF in low-cost, high-density logic CMOS.

Available today, the IPJ 8114E Development Platform incorporates onto a compact PCB platform a 14-bit, 300 Msps digital-to-analog converter (DAC) chip implemented using Self-Adaptive Silicon alongside an industry-standard FPGA. Communication system developers can code the embedded FPGA with capacity of nearly 200,000 gates to prototype a broad range of communications modulators, transmitters, or instrumentation systems. Ultimately customers can benefit from Self-Adaptive Silicon by having Impinj implement their complete mixed-signal system in an ASIC or ASSP offering.

"Impinj is delighted to offer our customers an opportunity to significantly improve the performance of their current and future generations of communications systems," said William Colleran, Ph.D., CEO of Impinj. "The IPJ 8114E with our 14-bit DAC is tangible proof of the power of Self-Adaptive Silicon, and we are very excited by customer response to its immediate applicability in a variety of applications. For the first time, designers can leverage the benefits of logic CMOS processes for high performance analog circuits and take advantage of Moore's Law for mixed-signal SOC products."

Implemented in logic CMOS at 3.3V, the Impinj 14-bit DAC offers best-in-class performance, including high sample-rate, low power dissipation and superior dynamic range as measured by both spurious free dynamic range (SFDR) and adjacent channel power ratio (ACPR). By employing proprietary analog circuit design techniques, the Impinj DAC achieves this level of performance without the need for more complex and expensive interpolation circuitry. Measured with a 3G WCDMA signal, ACPR is better than 73 dB for a 74.88 MHz output frequency sampled at 199.68 Msps and 69 dB at a 307.2 MHz IF and 245.76 Msps. This outstanding high-IF ACPR allows system designers to eliminate upconversion stages in multi-carrier basestation applications. Moreover, distortion specified by SFDR is 80 dB at 5 MHz output, yet remains above 70 dB to 100 MHz (with fs = 250 Msps). Using Self-Adaptive Silicon, Impinj has developed on-chip calibration to reduce integral nonlinearity (INL) of the DAC to +/- 0.35 LSB. The result is 16 bits of accuracy in a chip that dissipates only 55 mW (at 10 mA output current drive).

Pricing and Availability

The IPJ 8114E Development Platform, priced at $695 with a 20K gate FPGA and $995 with a 190K gate FPGA, is available for immediate customer shipment. For availability of mixed-signal ASIC or ASSP products using the 14-bit DAC component contact Impinj directly.

About Impinj

Impinj, Inc. was founded in May 2000 by renowned chip design expert Dr. Carver Mead and Dr. Chris Diorio, an associate professor at the University of Washington. The company holds 14 patents on an innovative approach called Self-Adaptive Silicon(TM) for developing high-performance, mixed-signal CMOS integrated circuit chips. Located in Seattle, Washington, Impinj raised more than $15 million from ARCH Venture Partners and Madrona Venture Group. Since its introduction, Impinj has received a number of notable electronics industry awards. In December 2001, the company was named by the Fabless Semiconductor Association as a "Startup of the Year" and was also voted "Best of the Best Emerging Technologies" by Red Herring. Impinj was also selected by the MIT Technology Review as one of "seven hot new technology startups in 2001" and received the "Most Promising New Technology" award in February 2002 from the WSA, Washington State's influential technology association. For more information, go to http://www.impinj.com.

Self-Adaptive Silicon is a trademark of Impinj, Inc.