71% PAE C-band GaN power amplifier using harmonic tuning technology

• Published in: Electronics letters Vol. 50; no. 17; pp. 1207 - 1209
• Main Authors: Lu, Yang, Cao, Mengyi, Wei, Jiaxing, Zhao, Bochao, Ma, Xiaohua, Hao, Yue
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Stevenage The Institution of Engineering and Technology 14.08.2014; Institution of Engineering and Technology; John Wiley & Sons, Inc
• Subjects: AlGaN‐GaN; aluminium compounds; Amplifiers; Applied sciences; Circuit properties; efficiency 71 percent; Electric, optical and optoelectronic circuits; Electronic circuits; Electronics; Exact sciences and technology; gain 17 dB; gallium compounds; Gallium nitrides; high electron mobility transistors; high‐efficiency C‐band internally matched power amplifier; high‐electron mobility transistor; III‐V semiconductors; Impedance; Microwave circuits, microwave integrated circuits, microwave transmission lines, submillimeter wave circuits; Microwave technology; Networks; Noise levels; PAE; power 102 W; Power amplifiers; Power gain; power‐added efficiency; second harmonic frequency tuning network; Semiconductor devices; Semiconductor electronics. Microelectronics. Optoelectronics. Solid state devices; size 12 mm; Transistors; Tuning; wide band gap semiconductors; efficiency 71 percent; gallium compounds; high electron mobility transistors; second harmonic frequency tuning network; high-efficiency C-band internally matched power amplifier; AlGaN-GaN; aluminium compounds; PAE; high-electron mobility transistor; size 12 mm; power 102 W; power amplifiers; wide band gap semiconductors; gain 17 dB; III-V semiconductors; power-added efficiency; Encapsulation; Harmonic; High electron mobility transistor; Microwave power amplifiers; Output power; Efficiency; Power gain; Aluminium nitride; Microwave amplifier; Power amplifier; Gallium nitride
• ISSN: 0013-5194; 1350-911X; 1350-911X
• DOI: 10.1049/el.2014.2092

A high-efficiency C-band internally matched power amplifier, developed with 12 mm AlGaN/GaN high-electron mobility transistors is described. The second-harmonic frequency (2f0) tuning network is applied to confine the impedance at 2f0 in safe efficiency regions. The packaged power amplifier achieves 71% power-added efficiency (PAE) and 102 W output power, associated with 17 dB power gain. The PAE is believed to be the highest of the C-band GaN power amplifiers reported to date.