Highly Integrated C-Band GaN High Power Amplifier MMIC for Phased Array Applications

Abstract

A C-band high-power and high power added efficiency (PAE) high power amplifier (HPA) monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) fabricated by using 0.25 μm gallium nitride (GaN) high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) technology has been developed for phased array antennas. The MMIC operates in pulse conditions of 100 μs pulse width and 10% of duty cycle over the frequency from 5.2 to 6.8 GHz. The MMIC exhibits an output power of 45.7 dBm to 46.4 dBm and a power added efficiency (PAE) of 51.5% to 56.5% under a drain voltage of 30 V. The MMIC size is as small as 12.54 mm <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sup> , generating an output power density up to 3.48 W/mm <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sup> over the chip area and up to 4.55 W/mm over the active periphery.