Multi-Octave GaN High Power Amplifier Using Planar Transmission Line Transformer
Mhd. T. Arnous1, Z. Zhang1, F. Rautschke1 and G. Boeck1,2
Published in:
Proc. 46th European Microwave Conf. (EuMC 2016), London, UK, Oct. 4-6, pp. 580-583 (2016).
Abstract:
In this work, design, implementation and experimental results of an efficient, high power and multi-octave GaN-HEMT power amplifier (PA) are presented. To overcome the low optimum source and load impedances of a large transistor, various topologies of a broadside coupled impedance transformer are simulated, implemented and measured. The used transformer achieves a flat measured insertion loss (IL) of 0.5 dB and a return loss (RL) higher than 10 dB over a decade bandwidth [0.4 - 4] GHz. The transformer is integrated at the drain and gate side of the transistor using pre-matching networks to transform the complex optimum source/ load impedances to the appropriate impedances of the transformer plane. The measurement results illustrate a saturated output power ranged between 49.6 ± 1 dBm with an average drain efficiency of 57 % and gain of 10.5 dB across 0.6 - 2.6 GHz.
1 Microwave Engineering Laboratory, Berlin Institute of Technology, 10587 Berlin, Germany
2 Ferdinand-Braun-Institut, Leibniz-Institut für Höchstfrequenztechnik, 12489 Berlin, Germany
Keywords:
Broadband; GaN-HEMT; Guanella; high efficiency; high power; multi-octave; power amplifier; wideband matching network; transformer.
Copyright © 2016 EuMA. Personal use of this material is permitted. However, permission to reprint/republish this material for advertising or promotional purposes or for creating new collective works for resale or redistribution to servers or lists, or to reuse any copyrighted component of this work in other works must be obtained from the EuMA.
Full version in pdf-format.