Refractory WN_x/W Self-Aligned Gate GaAs Power Metal-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor for 1.9-GHz Digital Mobile Communication System Operating with a Single Low-Voltage Supply

Abstract

We have developed a refractory WN x /W self-aligned gate GaAs power metal-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MESFET) for use in L-band digital mobile communication systems. This power MESFET operates with high efficiency and low distortion at a gate bias of 0 V and a low drain bias of 2.7 V, because of its small drain knee voltage, high transconductance and sufficient breakdown voltage. This power MESFET is quite promising for a highly efficient linear power amplifier IC operating with a single low-voltage supply. Good output characteristics of the power MESFET with 1 mm gate width were attained for π/4-shifted quadrature phase shift keying (QPSK) modulated input signals in the 1.9-GHz band, such as an output power of 18.4 dBm, a power gain of 19.0 dB and a high power-added efficiency of 26.4% when a sufficiently low adjacent channel leakage power of -58 dBc was obtained.