Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-t5tsf Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-10T19:56:09.224Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

GaN devices for communication applications: evolution of amplifier architectures

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 April 2010

Ulf Schmid ,
Rolf Reber ,
Sébastien Chartier ,
Kristina Widmer ,
Martin Oppermann ,
Wolfgang Heinrich ,
Chafik Meliani ,
Rüdiger Quay  and
Stephan Maroldt
Ulf Schmid*
Affiliation:
EADS – T/R Modules and MMICs, Woerthstrasse 85, 89077 Ulm, Germany.
Rolf Reber
Affiliation:
EADS – T/R Modules and MMICs, Woerthstrasse 85, 89077 Ulm, Germany.
Sébastien Chartier
Affiliation:
EADS – T/R Modules and MMICs, Woerthstrasse 85, 89077 Ulm, Germany.
Kristina Widmer
Affiliation:
EADS – T/R Modules and MMICs, Woerthstrasse 85, 89077 Ulm, Germany.
Martin Oppermann
Affiliation:
EADS – T/R Modules and MMICs, Woerthstrasse 85, 89077 Ulm, Germany.
Wolfgang Heinrich
Affiliation:
Ferdinand-Braun-Institut (FBH), Gustav-Kirchhoff-Straße 4, 12489 Berlin, Germany.
Chafik Meliani
Affiliation:
Ferdinand-Braun-Institut (FBH), Gustav-Kirchhoff-Straße 4, 12489 Berlin, Germany.
Rüdiger Quay
Affiliation:
Fraunhofer Institute Applied Solid-State Physics (FhG-IAF), Tullastrasse 72, D-79108 Freiburg, Germany.
Stephan Maroldt
Affiliation:
Fraunhofer Institute Applied Solid-State Physics (FhG-IAF), Tullastrasse 72, D-79108 Freiburg, Germany.
*
Corresponding author: U. Schmid Email: ulf.schmid@eads.com
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

This paper presents the design and implementation of power amplifiers using high-power gallium nitride (GaN) high electronic mobility transistor (HEMT) powerbars and monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs). The first amplifier is a class AB implementation for worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX) applications with emphasis on a low temperature cofired ceramics (LTCC) packaging solution. The second amplifier is a class S power amplifier using a high power GaN HEMT MMIC. For a 450 MHz continuous wave (CW) signal, the measured output power is 5.8 W and drain efficiency is 18.5%. Based on time domain simulations, loss mechanisms are identified and optimization steps are discussed.

Keywords

Power amplifier (PA)Gallium nitride (GaN)Switch mode amplifierDelta sigma modulator (DSM)
Type
Original Article
Information
International Journal of Microwave and Wireless Technologies , Volume 2 , Issue 1 , February 2010 , pp. 85 - 93
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press and the European Microwave Association 2010

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

[1]3rd Generation Partnership Project; Technical Specification Group Radio Access Network: Base Station (BS) radio transmission and reception (FDD) (Release 9). 3GPP TS 25.104, http://www.3gpp.org/.Google Scholar
[2]Cox, D.C.: Linear amplification with nonlinear components. IEEE Trans. Commun., 23 (1974), 1942–1942.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[3]Johnson, T.; Stapleton, S.P.: RF Class-D amplification with bandpass sigma-delta modulator drive signals. IEEE Trans. Circuits and Syst.-I, 53 (12) (2006), 2507–2520.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[4]Waltereit, P. et al. : A uniform, reproducible and reliable GaN HEMT technology with breakdown voltages in excess of 160 V delivering more than 60% PAE at 80 V, In Proc. CS Mantech, Chicago, 2008, 5.3.Google Scholar
[5]Ostrovskyy, P.; Gustat, H.; Scheytt, J.C.; Ortmanns, M.; Manoli, Y.: Design of a high frequency Bandpass Delta-Sigma Modulator (BDSM), in Workshop Analog Integrated Circuits, Berlin, March 10–11, 2008, Germany.Google Scholar
[6]Meliani, C.; Flucke, J.; Wentzel, A.; Würfl, J.; Heinrich, W.; Tränkle, G.: Switch-mode amplifier ICs with over 90% efficiency for class-S PAs using GaAs-HBTs and GaN-HEMTs, In 2008 Int. Microwave Symp. Digest, 2008, 751–754.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
[7]Kurpas, P.; Wentzel, A.; Janke, B.; Meliani, C.; Heinrich, W.; Würfl, J.: Monolithically integrated GaInP/GaAs high-voltage HBTs and fast power Schottky diodes for switch-mode amplifiers, in CS MANTECH Conf., Tampa, USA, Digest, May 2009, 213–216.Google Scholar
[8]Serebryakova, E.; Blau, K.; Hein, M.: Reconstruction filters for switched-mode power amplifier systems, In Proc. 39th European Microwave Conf., 2009, 1453–1456.Google Scholar
[9]Serebryakova, E.; Blau, K.; Hein, M.: Compact low-loss wideband-matched RF filters for class-S power amplifier systems, Proc. German Microwave Conference GeMiC 2010, pp. 198–201, March 2010.Google Scholar
[10]Samulak, A.; Serebryakova, E.; Fischer, G.; Weigel, R.: Modulation and filter test procedure for RF Class-S power amplifier architecture, in Asia Pacific Microwave Conf., December 2009. APMC 2009, 1104–1107.CrossRefGoogle Scholar