Ku-band GaAs MMIC high power amplifier with high efficiency and broadband

Abstract

In this paper, we present the GaAs PHEMT monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) high-power amplifier (HPA) with high efficiency and broadband. The HPA delivers 36 ~ 37dBm (4~5W) saturated output power with 28 ~ 31% power added efficiency (PAE) in the frequency band of 12 to 16 GHz, while providing 26~31 dB of small-signal gain and more than 42 dBm of output third-order intercept point (OIP3). This three-stage amplifier with chip size of 9.4mm2(4mm x 2.35mm) is designed to fully match 50-Ω input and output impedance. Keywords-GaAs pHEMT, high-power amplifer (HPA), monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) power amplifier I. INTRODUCTIONLow cost, light weight, high yield, and good reliability are the critical parameters for the successful development of modern communication applications.Ku-band power amplifier MMIC is one of the most important components for many commercial and military electronic systems. High efficiency and broad bandwidth are required to meet prime power, thermal and high data rate requirements for many of these systems, such as point-to-point radio networks, VSAT ground terminals, EW systems and test equipment. In addition to the high efficiency and broad bandwidth, high power, high gain, high linearity and small die size are demanded to the power amplifier.Recently published papers and products show steady progress in improving the efficiency and bandwidth of GaAs based Ku-band power amplifier MMICs [1]-[6]. However, broad bandwidth and high efficiency are required[7]-[8]. Higher output power MMICs based on GaN technology were reported[9]-[10]. In spite of the advantages, fabrication cost of GaN process is excessively higher than that of GaAs process.In this paper, the design and performance of the 3-stage Ku-band power amplifier MMIC with high efficiency and broad bandwidth are described.

Analysis and design of broadband 2‐W power amplifier based on cascode transistors

“…To achieve a compact circuit, we designed the outputmatching network and the power synthesis network together. 11 In this design, a second-order L-C matching network is used to achieve both impedance matching and power combining. To simplify the impedance matching process, two cascode units B were directly interconnected.…”

Low-Earth Orbit User Segment in the Ku and Ka-Band: An Overview of Antennas and RF Front-End Technologies

“…GaN appears to be a superior candidate for the design of PAs when compared to GaAs and is becoming the technology of choice across frequency bands and markets. GaN amplifiers present a P sat the 36-46 -dBm range [106], [107], [108], [109], [110], [111], [112], while their GaAs counterparts are within the 34-40-dBm range [111], [112], [113], [114], [115], [116]. In addition, GaN PAs also show a superior PAE, which can surpass 40%, while GaAs PAs present PAEs of the order of 30%.…”