MRF7S21170HSR3 - 50W WCDMA RF Power MOSFET, 2110-2170 MHz | NXP
MPN: MRF7S21170HSR3 ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $95 | $95.00 |
| 10 | $88.5 | $885.00 |
| 100 | $79.2 | $7,920.00 |
| 250 | $73.8 | $18,450.00 |
| 500 | $69.5 | $34,750.00 |
MRF7S21170HSR3 Overview
What is an RF power MOSFET? An RF power MOSFET (radio-frequency power metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor) is a discrete transistor optimized to amplify high-frequency signals at significant power levels. Unlike small-signal MOSFETs used for switching or low-level logic, RF power MOSFETs feature lateral die layouts, thick metal gate/source overlay structures, and ceramic/air-cavity packages with very low parasitic inductance, allowing them to deliver tens to hundreds of watts into 50-ohm loads at GHz frequencies. They sit at the top of the power transistor hierarchy: power transistor → RF power transistor → RF power MOSFET → lateral N-channel enhancement-mode RF power MOSFET.
Key differentiating specifications for the MRF7S21170HSR3 include: 50 W average output power at 28 V, 16 dB typical gain, ~50% W-CDMA drain efficiency at rated Pout, integrated ESD protection, and a thermally robust NI-880S package designed for chassis-mounted or cold-plate cooling. The lateral N-channel structure provides excellent thermal stability and ruggedness into a 5:1 VSWR mismatch, which is critical for cellular base-station reliability under antenna-detuned fault conditions.
Architecturally, the MRF7S21170HSR3 is a single-ended lateral MOSFET die that uses NXP's HV7 RF power process. The NI-880S package provides a low-inductance common-source path and integrated pre-matched input/output leadframes. This combination enables designers to build Doherty, push-pull, or single-ended Class AB final stages with minimal external matching complexity at the 2110–2170 MHz band.
Typical applications include W-CDMA/HSPA/LTE macro-cell base-station power amplifiers at 2.1 GHz, multi-carrier GSM/EDGE linear amplifiers, PCN/PCS/cellular radio driver stages, and WLL (wireless-local-loop) infrastructure. The part is also widely used as a benchmark driver for later Doherty amplifier designs targeting the same band.
When designing with this part, evaluate thermal performance first: at 50 W CW and 50% efficiency, the device dissipates approximately 50 W. The NI-880S flange must be bolted to a heatsink or cold plate with adequate airflow; thermal grease and a torque-specified bolt schedule are mandatory. Bias sequencing and PCB microstrip layout should follow NXP's MRF7S21170H application note to maintain stability across the 2110–2170 MHz passband.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, drop-in alternatives, and practical design notes not found on a single manufacturer page, including a side-by-side comparison with the 230 W AFT18S230SR5 and the lower-band MRF7S15100HSR3.
Drop-in alternatives for MRF7S21170HSR3 — same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
MRF7S21170HR3
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
MRF8S21140HSR3
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
MRF7S15100HSR3
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
AFT18S230SR5
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
AFT18S290-13SR3
✅ Drop-In📋 Reference alternative (not in catalog)
MRF7S21170HSR3 Maximum Ratings & Electrical Characteristics
| Manufacturer | NXP Semiconductors (formerly Freescale) |
| Part Status | Active |
| Transistor Type | Lateral N-Channel Enhancement-Mode MOSFET |
| Application | W-CDMA, CDMA, multi-carrier RF power amplifier |
| Frequency Range | 2110 MHz to 2170 MHz |
| Test Frequency | 2.17 GHz |
| Drain-Source Voltage (Vds) | 65 V (min breakdown) |
| Operating Drain Voltage | 28 V (typical) |
| Drain Current (Id) | 1.4 A (DC) |
| Output Power (Pout, avg) | 50 W (W-CDMA, single carrier) |
| Power Gain (Gps) | 16 dB (typ at 2.17 GHz) |
| Drain Efficiency | ~50% (typ at rated W-CDMA Pout) |
| Configuration | Single, common-source |
| Package / Case | NI-880S (CASE 465B-04), ceramic flanged |
| Mounting Type | Chassis / flange mount (2-hole bolt) |
| Surface Mount | No |
| JESD-30 Code | R-CDFP-F2 |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +150C (junction) |
| ESD Protection | Integrated |
MRF7S21170HSR3 Pin Configuration
| Pin Flange | Source / Ground — Source bond; bolted to heatsink, also serves as RF ground |
| Pin 1 | Gate (RF Input) — RF input lead, internally bonded to gate |
| Pin 2 | Gate DC Bias — Vgs bias feed, typically decoupled with 1 nF + 10 uF |
| Pin 3 | Drain DC Bias — 28 V drain feed, decoupled with bulk and ceramic bypass |
| Pin 4 | Drain (RF Output) — RF output lead, internally bonded to drain |
DC Safe Operating Area (estimated, refer to datasheet)
Typical Applications
MRF7S21170HSR3 is suitable for 6 applications: W-CDMA Macro-Cell Base Station Final Stage, Doherty Peaking Amplifier, Multi-Carrier GSM/EDGE Linear Amplifier, WLL / PCS / Cellular Radio Driver Stage, Test & Measurement Power Amplifier, Industrial / Scientific 2.1 GHz RF Heating.
W-CDMA Macro-Cell Base Station Final Stage
The MRF7S21170HSR3 is a natural fit for 50 W single-carrier W-CDMA final stages in the 2110–2170 MHz downlink band. Its 16 dB typical gain at 2.17 GHz and ~50% drain efficiency at rated Pout deliver the ACPR and linearity required for 3GPP release 99/4/6 modulation, while the NI-880S ceramic flange provides the thermal headroom for continuous 50 W operation at 28 V with a bolted cold plate. Designers typically place it after a 1–2 W driver MMIC, bias gate at ~2.8 V for class AB, and follow with a microstrip output matching network on a high-Dk PCB such as RO4350B to extract the rated 50 W with sub-2 dB mismatch loss.
Recommended
Doherty Peaking Amplifier
In a two-carrier Doherty architecture for macro-cell applications, the MRF7S21170HSR3 fills the peaking-amplifier slot with a robust 50 W envelope-handling capability. Its high VSWR tolerance (5:1) protects the part during the wide impedance sweep that occurs as the peaking device transitions from off-state to full conduction across the 8 dB output-power back-off range. Bias is typically class C (Vgs ≈ 1.5 V), offset from the carrier amplifier (e.g., AFT18S230SR5) by a quarter-wave network. The NI-880S flange bolts directly to a shared heatsink, simplifying the mechanical assembly versus plastic-packaged LD-MOSFET competitors.
Recommended
Multi-Carrier GSM/EDGE Linear Amplifier
For multi-carrier GSM/EDGE base-station line-ups, the MRF7S21170HSR3 provides the linearity and back-off headroom needed when several carriers are summed and amplified simultaneously. At 28 V and 50 W Pout with ~50% drain efficiency, the lateral N-channel die produces low memory-effect distortion, which is critical for the EVM budget on 8-PSK EDGE channels. Designers commonly bias class AB and follow the part with a ceramic-combiner microstrip network on RO4003C substrate. The NI-880S flange is bolted to a chassis-mount heatsink with thermal interface material rated for continuous 50 W dissipation.
Recommended
WLL / PCS / Cellular Radio Driver Stage
In wireless-local-loop, PCS, and cellular-radio infrastructure, the MRF7S21170HSR3 functions as a high-gain driver stage ahead of a higher-power final amplifier. Its 16 dB typical gain at 2.17 GHz means that only ~1.5 W of drive power is required to reach the 50 W rated output, which can be sourced from a small-signal GaAs or LDMOS driver MMIC. This driver-stage architecture simplifies the front-end gain budget and allows the designer to leverage off-the-shelf predistortion linearization ICs. The NI-880S package provides repeatable 50 Ω transitions on the PCB microstrip.
Recommended
Test & Measurement Power Amplifier
Test-and-measurement applications such as 2.1 GHz CW/Pulsed-RF signal boosters and EMC test amplifiers benefit from the MRF7S21170HSR3's broadband gain and rugged NI-880S package. Its 5:1 VSWR tolerance is forgiving when driving mismatched test antennas or unknown-impedance DUTs, and the 16 dB gain allows a low-power signal generator (e.g., +5 dBm) to reach the part's 50 W output with minimal intermediate amplification. The flange mount simplifies integration into a rack-mounted test amplifier chassis with forced-air or water cooling.
Recommended
Industrial / Scientific 2.1 GHz RF Heating
Atmospheric plasma, RF curing, and industrial heating applications near 2.1 GHz can leverage the MRF7S21170HSR3 as a continuous-wave 50 W power block. Its lateral N-channel enhancement-mode structure delivers low thermal resistance through the NI-880S flange, and the 65 V BVDSS provides substantial headroom for industrial SMPS ripple. The same bias network used for cellular applications applies, but with Vgs reduced toward class B or class C for maximum efficiency. Designers should verify regulatory compliance for ISM-band emission in their jurisdiction before deploying.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for MRF7S21170HSR3 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | MRF7S21170HR3 | MRF8S21140HSR3 | MRF7S15100HSR3 | AFT18S230SR5 | AFT18S290-13SR3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors | NXP Semiconductors | Qorvo | Qorvo |
| Package | NI-880S (CASE 465B-04) | NI-880 (CASE 465B) | NI-880S (CASE 465B-04) | NI-880S (CASE 465B-04) | OG-880S equivalent | OG-880S equivalent |
| Output Power (avg) | 50 W | 50 W | 140 W | 100 W | 230 W | 290 W |
| Frequency Range | 2110-2170 MHz | 2110-2170 MHz | 2110-2140 MHz | 1930-1990 MHz | 1805-1995 MHz | 1805-1995 MHz |
| Drain Voltage | 28 V | 28 V | 28 V | 28 V | 28 V | 28 V |
| Power Gain | 16 dB | 16 dB | ~16 dB | ~16 dB | ~17 dB | ~17 dB |
| Mounting | Chassis / flange (2-bolt) | Chassis / flange (2-bolt) | Chassis / flange (2-bolt) | Chassis / flange (2-bolt) | Chassis / flange (2-bolt) | Chassis / flange (2-bolt) |
| Application | W-CDMA, CDMA, multi-carrier | W-CDMA, CDMA, multi-carrier | W-CDMA, LTE | W-CDMA, GSM | W-CDMA, LTE, 5G NR | W-CDMA, LTE, 5G NR |
| Lifecycle Status | Active | Active | Active | Active | Active | Active |
Key Differentiators
- Single W-CDMA line-up at 2110-2170 MHz with 50 W avg (vs AFT18S230SR5)
- Lower-band 1930-1990 MHz option in same family (vs MRF7S15100HSR3)
- Higher-power 140 W upgrade path in same NI-880S package (vs MRF8S21140HSR3)
Design Notes
At 50 W CW output and ~50% drain efficiency, the MRF7S21170HSR3 dissipates roughly 50 W in the flange. The NI-880S ceramic package must be bolted to a cold plate or heatsink with thermal interface material rated for sustained 50 W/cm^2; thermal grease alone is marginal for continuous 50 W operation. Estimated: with theta_JC ≈ 0.5 C/W and 50 W dissipation, junction-to-flange rise is ~25 C, so a flange temperature of 70 C implies Tj ≈ 95 C, leaving headroom to the 150 C Tj max. Designers should still include a thermal shutdown or derating margin of 20-30 C in production designs.
Use a high-Dk low-loss PCB substrate such as RO4350B (Dk=3.48) or RO4003C (Dk=3.38) for the input and output microstrip matching networks. Keep gate bias traces short and decoupled with a 1 nF series + 10 uF shunt network placed within 5 mm of the gate lead. Add a drain-side ferrite bead or lambda/4 stub for drain-bias injection. Reference NXP application note AN21170 for a proven 50 W W-CDMA reference layout that can be reused as-is for this part.
Do not operate the MRF7S21170HSR3 below the rated quiescent drain current (Idq ≈ 100-300 mA); running starved bias causes gain compression and degraded linearity. Do not exceed Vds > 28 V during normal operation even though BVDSS = 65 V - the part is characterized for 28 V and the safe-operating-area envelope tightens above this. Do not omit input/output DC-blocking capacitors; the gate and drain are internally DC-biased and require external blocks at the RF leads to prevent DC shorting through the bias tee.
The NI-880S flange must be bonded to PCB ground with low-inductance copper straps in addition to the heatsink bolts; a 4-cell gap in the ground return creates instability at 2.1 GHz. Use via-fenced microstrip on the input side with via pitch of λ/20 ≈ 1.5 mm at 2.17 GHz to suppress parallel-plate modes. Place the drain-bias feed network on the opposite side of the PCB from the gate-bias network to prevent coupling that creates parametric oscillations.
For W-CDMA linearity, target an ACPR of -50 dBc at 50 W Pout. Estimated: this requires the part to operate ~2-3 dB below its 1 dB compression point, so drive the MRF7S21170HSR3 at ~30 W average when linearity is the dominant figure of merit. Add a small-signal predistortion IC (e.g., NXP SC1900 or equivalent) ahead of the part to recover 4-6 dB of back-off and improve overall Doherty efficiency.
Compliance Information
RoHS/REACH status not explicitly stated in the verified web data for the MRF7S21170HSR3 specifically; consult NXP product page or sales contact for definitive compliance documentation. Lead-free per NXP manufacturing practice. AEC-Q100 not applicable (telecom RF power MOSFET, not automotive).
