X-Band GaN Power Amplifier for Future Generation SAR Systems

Resca, Davide; Raffo, Antonio; Falco, Sergio Di; Scappaviva, Francesco; Vadalà, Valeria; Vannini, G.

doi:10.1109/lmwc.2014.2299552

Cited by 46 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…The devices under test (DUTs) are characterized in terms of both DC and scattering (S-) parameter measurements at three different ambient temperatures (Ta): -40°C, 25°C, and 150°C. The experimental data are used to investigate the effects of the temperature on the DC and RF values of the transconductance, which is a key figure of merit for determining low-noise and high-power performance of the HEMT devices that are widely used in the design of both low-noise [32][33][34][35] and high-power [35][36][37][38] amplifiers. The analysis is focused on the impact of the temperature on the DC transconductance (gm) that is determined from the measured DC transcharacteristics, the RF transconductance that is estimated as the real part of the measured short-circuit forward transfer admittance (Y21) at low low-frequency, and the intrinsic RF transconductance (gmo) of the small-signal equivalent-circuit model that is extracted from the S-parameter measurements.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Measurement-based Investigation of the DC and RF Transconductance for Various HEMT Technologies in High-and Low-temperature Conditions

Alim

Jarndal

Gaquière

et al. 2021

Preprint

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The purpose of this experimental study is to evaluate quantitatively the impact of the temperature on the behavior of various high electron-mobility transistor (HEMT) technologies through the analysis of the DC and RF transconductance. The experimental data are reported for six different HEMT devices, in order to develop a comparative analysis based on various technologies, including gallium arsenide (GaAs) and gallium nitride (GaN) materials, matched and pseudomorphic HEMTs, single- (S-H) and double-heterojunction (D-H) HEMTs, and both virgin and multi-layer devices. The reported findings show that the impact of the ambient temperature on the HEMT behavior strongly depend on the tested technology and operating conditions. As a matter of fact, a higher temperature can lead to increased or degraded transconductance, depending on the device technologies and bias point. In the GaAs-based devices, an operating bias condition at which the DC and RF transconductance are temperature insensitive can be defined, owing to two-opposite temperature-dependent effects counteracting with each other.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Measurement-based Investigation of the DC and RF Transconductance for Various HEMT Technologies in High-and Low-temperature Conditions

Alim

Jarndal

Gaquière

et al. 2021

Preprint

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“…From the theoretical analysis aspect, these excellent previous methods, intrinsic impedance, waveform engineering, and LF I/V methods have two limitations: (a) waveform engineering requires the harmonic load‐pull or time‐domain‐based I‐V waveform measurement systems, and thus the working frequency is relatively low. Intrinsic impedance and LF I/V methods can be improved to X band . However, these methods are still rarely used in the millimeter‐wave design.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Intrinsic impedance and LF I/V methods can be improved to X band. 16 However, these methods are still rarely used in the millimeter-wave design. (b) The parasitic network is simulated as a whole.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploring the impedance coverage limitation at current generate plane of transistors up to millimeter‐wave band based on comprehensive large signal model

Yang

2019

Int J Numerical Modelling

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The harmonic power amplifiers (PAs) have potential to be used in the millimeter-wave band, but the sophisticate parasitic network effects on the projection of reflection coefficient coverage from transistor package (TP) plane to current generator (CG) plane is an important challenge. In this work, every typical parasitic element with unique effect is derived theoretically. Thus, in the millimeter-wave band, the reduced and rotated projection of parasitic network between the two planes becomes clear. The fundamental frequency (20 GHz), second harmonics (40 GHz), and third harmonics (60 GHz) loadpull simulations using the commercial standard nonlinear transistor modeling are simulated. The simulation and derivation are consistent and show that output power and efficiency become less sensitive to harmonic tuning due to the lossy parasitic network. This work will be helpful for harmonic tuned transistor and PA design in the millimeter-wave band, in the future. KEYWORDS fundamental and harmonic impedance, impedance coverage, power amplifier 1 | INTRODUCTIONThe rapid development of millimeter-wave systems makes the high-efficiency power amplifier (PA) very important RF components. 1 Its high output power and efficiency have significant influence on the performance of systems. Harmonic tuned PAs provide effective methods to improve the efficiency, and different types have been intensively investigated: Class-F, 2,3 Class-F -1,3 continuous Class-F, 4,5 in-band mode transferring between continuous Class-F, and continuous Class-F -1,6 Class-J. 7 In comparably higher frequency or even the millimeter-wave band, however, harmonic tuned PAs are more challenging, and the parasitic network effect is an important reason.In order to reduce the parasitic network effect, intrinsic fundamental and harmonic impedance 8 at the current generator (CG) plane, waveform engineering, 9 and low frequency (LF) I/V 10,11 methods have been introduced. Intrinsic plane means that virtual ports in the transistor modeling are located right at the CG plane in the active device, without the effects of package parasitic. The observation of intrinsic current and voltage is important to verify the PA's class and to optimize the fundamental and harmonic impedance. 8 Roblin et al introduced an intrinsic method from the CG plane and embedded the nonlinear and linear parasitic components, to predict the harmonic load at the transistor package (TP) plane, based on nonlinear models. 12 Similarly, waveform engineering conception was also summarized by Tasker as "the ability to modify the time-varying voltage and current present in quantified manner. 9 " The waveform design method and RF I/V waveform

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“…High-power handling capabilities of GaN devices are advantageous for high-power amplifiers (HPA) [1][2][3], but also for switches [4,5] and robust LNAs [6,7]. All these devices are key components for T/R modules in AESA applications.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

GaN-based single-chip frontend for next-generation X-band AESA systems

Schuh

Sledzik

Reber

2018

Int. J. Microw. Wireless Technol.

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A next generation of active electronically scanned array (AESA) antennas will be challenged with the need for lower size, weight, power, and cost. This leads to enhanced demands especially with regard to the integration density of the radio frequency-part inside aT/Rmodule. The semiconductor material GaN has proven its capacity for high-power amplifiers (HPA), robust receive components as well as switch components for separation of transmit and receive mode. This paper will describe the design and measurement results of a GaN-based single-chipT/Rmodule frontend (HPA, low noise anplifier, and single-pole double-throw (SPDT)) using UMS GH25 technology and covering the frequency range from 8 GHz to 12 GHz. The key performance parameters of the frontend are 13 W minimum transmit (TX) output power over the whole frequency range with peak power up to 17 W. The frontend in receive (RX) mode has a noise figure below 3.2 dB over the whole frequency range, and can survive more than 5 W input power. The large signal insertion loss of the used SPDT is below 0.9 dB at 43 dBm input power level.

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X-Band GaN Power Amplifier for Future Generation SAR Systems

Cited by 46 publications

References 7 publications

Measurement-based Investigation of the DC and RF Transconductance for Various HEMT Technologies in High-and Low-temperature Conditions

Measurement-based Investigation of the DC and RF Transconductance for Various HEMT Technologies in High-and Low-temperature Conditions

Exploring the impedance coverage limitation at current generate plane of transistors up to millimeter‐wave band based on comprehensive large signal model

GaN-based single-chip frontend for next-generation X-band AESA systems

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