Reduced-size E-band GaAs power amplifier MMIC

We report on the development and performance of a very compact GaAs Power Amplifier MMIC for E-band communication systems. With a remarkably small chip size of only 3.7 mm2, this amplifier achieves a measured small signal gain of 26 dB over the 71-76 GHz PtP band, with +28 dBm output power at 1-dB gain compression (P1dB), and over 1 Watt output power in saturation (Psat) and up to 28-% PAE. This power and gain performance outperforms previously reported results for PAs operating in the 71 to 86 GHz span of the ETSI E bands for any semiconductor system. To the author´s knowledge these results also represent the highest output power levels and power density per gate periphery and chip area ever achieved for any GaAs MMICs at these frequencies (i.e. 500 to 850 mW/mm). This record measured performance also competes favorably well with millimeter-wave PA MMICs realized in GaN technologies.