Linear power and efficiency at microwave and millimeter-wave using twta based microwave power modules [Application notes]

The results in this article clearly indicate the importance of millimeter-wave power module (MPM) technology and illustrate the enormous value of combining an MPM with a linearizer. This combination makes linearized MPMs highly attractive for commercial and government communications applications. A linearized-MPM can provide significantly higher power and efficiency for a comparable linearity in a lighter weight and more compact package than alternate options. The linearizer allows an MPM to provide four times the output power for many linear applications, and more than a 10 dB improvement in two-carrier linearity over much of its power range. For currently available MPMs, linearization allows operation with common digital modulations with a spectral regrowth of greater than 30 dB at an output power of 50 W with an overall efficiency of 25%. Even greater benefits are provided for complex digitally modulated signals as wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA). This MPM can be housed in an 820 cubic cm volume, 2.3 kg in weight and allows operation over multi-octave bandwidths.