X-Band GaN Power Amplifier for Future Generation SAR Systems

Author

Resca, Davide ; Raffo, Antonio ; Di Falco, Sergio ; Scappaviva, Francesco ; Vadala, Valeria ; Vannini, Giorgio

Author_Institution

MEC srl, Bologna, Italy

Volume

24

Issue

4

fYear

2014

fDate

Apr-14

Firstpage

266

Lastpage

268

Abstract

A X-band GaN monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMIC) High Power Amplifier (HPA) suitable for future generation Synthetic Aperture Radar systems is presented. The HPA delivers 14 W of output power, more than 38% of PAE in the frequency bandwidth from 8.8 to 10.4 GHz. Its linear gain is greater than 25 dB. For the first time an MMIC X-band HPA has been designed by directly measuring the transistor behavior at the current generator plane. In particular, optimum device load-line has been selected according to the chosen performance tradeoffs.

Keywords

III-V semiconductors; MMIC; gallium compounds; microwave power amplifiers; synthetic aperture radar; wide band gap semiconductors; GaN; MMIC X-band HPA; PAE; X-band gallium nitride MMIC high-power amplifier; bandwidth 8.8 GHz to 10.4 GHz; current generator plane; frequency bandwidth; future generation SAR systems; future generation synthetic aperture radar systems; linear gain; monolithic microwave integrated circuits; optimum device load-line; power 14 W; transistor behavior; Current measurement; Frequency measurement; Gallium nitride; MMICs; Power generation; Power measurement; Synthetic aperture radar; GaN; X-band; monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs); power amplifiers (PAs);

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Microwave and Wireless Components Letters, IEEE

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1531-1309

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/LMWC.2014.2299552

Filename

6712907