Design of a highly efficient reconfigurable C/X dual‐band 15W GaN MMIC power amplifier using amplifier‐switch fusion technique

• Published in: Microwave and optical technology letters Vol. 66; no. 7
• Main Authors: Zhang, Wei, Tao, Hongqi, Tao, Haiyang, Meng, Hongfu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.07.2024
• Subjects: dual‐band; Efficiency; GaN monolithic microwave integrated circuits; Harmonics; high efficiency; Matching; Power amplifiers; reconfigurable; Reconfiguration; Remote sensing; Remote sensing systems; Satellite communications
• ISSN: 0895-2477; 1098-2760
• DOI: 10.1002/mop.34267

This letter introduces the design of a highly efficient reconfigurable C/X dual‐band power amplifier (PA). Conventional dual‐band designs connect two amplifier branches for each band by a switch, whose transmitting losses will limit the efficiency of the PA. In alternative to the switching solution, the authors propose a novel design method using two branches of output matching networks (OMN) which the 5–6 and 8–12 GHz branch acting as active loads for each other, respectively. The band‐pass OMNs are applied, and parts of the passive matching components are replaced by transistors for channel selection. The proposed design has been simulated, implemented, and measured. The experimental results demonstrate a power added efficiency (PAE) of 45% at a pulsed output power (Pout) of 42 dBm in 5–6 GHz while a PAE greater than 39% at 42 dBm Pout in 8–12 GHz. Moreover, the second and third harmonics of both operating bands are compressed to −35 and −40 dBc, respectively. The proposed design technique addresses the challenges of low‐efficiency and lower‐band harmonic suppression in traditional dual‐band designs, making it suitable for application in next‐generation satellite communication and remote sensing systems.