Title :
X-band monolithic power amplifier using low characteristic impedance thin-film microstrip transformers
Author :
Gillick, Matthew ; Robertson, Ian D.
Author_Institution :
Dept. of Electron. & Electr. Eng., London Univ., UK
Abstract :
A technique is introduced for matching monolithic power amplifiers by using short thin-film microstrip transformers with very low characteristic impedance. An X-band power FET amplifier has been successfully realized with this technique, using a standard GaAs foundry, two-level metal process. The amplifier has achieved over 5.5-dB small-signal gain and an output power of 1 W at a center frequency of 11.3 GHz. This matching technique can greatly reduce the area of the matching networks compared with conventional microstrip techniques which rely on cluster matching and power dividing/combining.<>
Keywords :
MMIC; field effect integrated circuits; impedance matching; microwave amplifiers; power amplifiers; strip line components; 1 W; 11.3 GHz; 5.5 dB; FET amplifier; GaAs; SHF; X-band; low characteristic impedance; matching networks; microstrip transformers; monolithic power amplifier; thin-film; two-level metal process; FETs; Foundries; Frequency; Gallium arsenide; Impedance; Microstrip; Power amplifiers; Power generation; Transformers; Transistors;
Journal_Title :
Microwave and Guided Wave Letters, IEEE
