Modern communication systems and end users are demanding more and more bandwidth at ever lower cost points. But Shannon’s Law remains immutable; bits of data over an RF link require power and bandwidth. Combine these increasing data demands with other market requirements like interoperability, product consolidation, software defined radios, etc., all drive the ideal communication platform to a software configurable box that can operate across all frequencies, all modes.
For the transmit power amplifier chain the major hurdle is fundamentally about broadband impedance matching. Broadband and high power typically does not co-exist nicely and even at relatively low power levels of 5-20W broadband multi-octave matching is a near impossibility using conventional MOS or GaAs technology. GaN technology surmounts this problem by simultaneously providing high operating voltage and high power densities leading to higher, more favorable device impedances. At a given power level, GaN enables the use of smaller devices, which reduces the intrinsic capacitances. The higher voltage also increases the optimum loadline impedance, thus reducing the impedance transformation ratio required to reach 50 Ohms.
These characteristics allow GaN to uniquely provide unprecedented levels of power, bandwidth and efficiency and it is this combination along with low cost packaging that will be covered in this presentation. Thermal design, heatsinking and system requirements together with the different technology aspects will be covered.
