For more info such as gerber files, additional App Notes and specific component info go to: www.johansontechnology.com/nordic
Written by: Manuel Carmona BDM/RF Engineer
1
Johanson Technology’s RF Front-End Solution
Impedance Matched Balun Filter Integrated Passive for
Nordic’s nRF8001 Chipset
June 2012
1. Introduction
The nRF8001 from Nordic Semiconductor is a 2.45GHz is a highly integrated single-chip
Bluetooth® low energy Connectivity IC. It integrates a fully compliant Bluetooth v4.0 low
energy Radio, Link Layer, and Host stack and features a simple serial interface that supports a
wide range of external application microcontrollers.
Johanson Technology’s, 2450BM14A0002 LPF-Balun was specifically designed for use with the
nRF8001 chipset. This matched balun greatly simplifies the RF front-end by considerably
reducing component count, system variability, implementation size area, and PCB sensitivity.
PCB layout example shown on Figures 1a and 1b.
Figures 1a and 1b. Ref, Design layout example.
The 2450BM14A0002 is an SMD six-pin LTCC device with a small foot print of only 1.6mm X
0.8mm X 0.7mm (EIA 0603). Please refer to Appendix A for the datasheet of balun filter
component.
For more info such as gerber files, additional App Notes and specific component info go to: www.johansontechnology.com/nordic
Written by: Manuel Carmona BDM/RF Engineer
2
2. Description and Schematics of Reference Designs
Using LTCC integrated monolithic technology, Johanson has developed a solution with a 6-pin
impedance-matched chip balun-harmonic filter integrated passive component that is especially
matched for the nRF8001 IC, the 2450BM15A0002 providing necessary RF filtering (i.e. FCC,
ETSI), a more reliable system, impedance controlled environment, consistency in performance,
and a very small RF front end-solution compared to the L/C discrete shown in Figures 1a and 1b.
Figure 2a. Discrete L/C Ref. Design solution
Figure 2b. Integrated Ref. Design solution The rightmost is the JTI impedance-matched balun
2450BM14A0002.