A compact broadband high power quasi-MMIC GaN power amplifier
ISSN: 0305-6120
Article publication date: 6 August 2021
Issue publication date: 5 April 2023
Abstract
Purpose
The design and implementation of a broadband quasi-monolithic microwave integrated circuit (q-MMIC) power amplifier (PA) is presented for 0.2 to 2.2 GHz applications.
Design/methodology/approach
To obtain an efficient, high-gain and high-power performance with in a compact and low-cost size, the prototype is based on Gallium nitride (GaN) on SiC 0.25-µm transistors, whereas the passive matching networks are realized on an AlN substrate as thin film circuit.
Findings
Measured results of the q-MMIC PA across the 0.2 to 2.2 GHz band show at least 32 ± 3 dB small-signal gains, an output power of 7 to 12 W and an average power add efficiency greater than 54%. The q-MMIC occupies an area of 12.8 × 14.5 mm2.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this work reports the first full integrated PA which covers the frequency range of 0.2 to 2.2 GHz and achieves the combination of highest gain, about 10 W output power, together with the smallest component size among all published GaN PAs to date.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This work was partly supported by the West Light Youth Talent Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (1_14) and the Natural Science Foundation of Qinghai Province, (2021-ZJ-910).
Citation
Liu, L.-s., Lin, Q., Wu, H.-f., Chen, Y.-J. and Hu, L.-L. (2023), "A compact broadband high power quasi-MMIC GaN power amplifier", Circuit World, Vol. 49 No. 2, pp. 167-173. https://doi.org/10.1108/CW-07-2020-0157
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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