Some of the potential applications for such an amplifier include cellular base station transceivers, WiMAX and CATV. Until now MMIC matched low-noise amplifiers have been limited to linear output of 1 Watt or less and noise figures above 1 db over a multi-octave bandwidth in the S- and C-band frequency range. At 12 V and 200 mA the MMIC PA recorded a NF of approximately 0.5 dB. At 15 V and 400 mA the NF was in the range of 0.7 to 0.9 dB. Maximum power density of the device was reported as 2.2 W/mm.
Sirenza Microdevices Achieves Record Gallium Nitride (GaN) Semiconductor Technology Power and Noise Performance
Sirenza Microdevices
Sirenza Microdevices announced that the company has produced what it believes to be the first Gallium Nitride (GaN) power amplifier with an output power above 2 Watts and a noise figure (NF) below 1 db, encompassing the 0.2 to 8 GHz range. Details of the AlGaN/GaN-SiC HEMT was presented at the International Microwave Symposium in Hawaii on June 5. Sirenza’s GaN-based high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) amplifier was built at Northrop Grumman Corporation’s Space Technology sector in Redondo Beach, Calif.
Some of the potential applications for such an amplifier include cellular base station transceivers, WiMAX and CATV. Until now MMIC matched low-noise amplifiers have been limited to linear output of 1 Watt or less and noise figures above 1 db over a multi-octave bandwidth in the S- and C-band frequency range. At 12 V and 200 mA the MMIC PA recorded a NF of approximately 0.5 dB. At 15 V and 400 mA the NF was in the range of 0.7 to 0.9 dB. Maximum power density of the device was reported as 2.2 W/mm.
Some of the potential applications for such an amplifier include cellular base station transceivers, WiMAX and CATV. Until now MMIC matched low-noise amplifiers have been limited to linear output of 1 Watt or less and noise figures above 1 db over a multi-octave bandwidth in the S- and C-band frequency range. At 12 V and 200 mA the MMIC PA recorded a NF of approximately 0.5 dB. At 15 V and 400 mA the NF was in the range of 0.7 to 0.9 dB. Maximum power density of the device was reported as 2.2 W/mm.
