2-Watt broadband GaN power amplifier RFIC using the ƒT doubling technique

A broadband power amplifier (PA) is reported using the ƒt doubling technique which delivers more than 2 W of saturated output power over a span of 6 GHz. The PA exhibits a power gain of 12.2 ± 0.2 dB over its operating frequency range, yielding a gain-bandwidth product of more than 1.5 ƒt. The PA has an OP1dB and an OIP3 of more than 31 dBm and 40 dBm respectively. The IC was fabricated using a 0.8-µm GaN process and the core circuit occupies an area of 925 µm × 895 µm.