A Low-Cost, Efficient 1.7-2.7 GHz Transmission-Line GaN HEMT Power Amplifier for Wireless Applications

In next generation wireless communication systems it is required that the power amplifier could be able to handle multiple frequency bands and multiple operating standards. In addition, high efficiency, low cost, and compact size are very important if the power amplifier is employed in active antenna array systems or mobile handsets. Also, its broadband property is very useful for future sofware-defined radio platforms in microcell or macrocell applications based on a single-bit RF pulsed-train signal transmission. Usually, the bandwidth limitation in power amplifiers comes from the device's low transition frequency and large output capacitance, therefore silcon LDMOSFET technology has been the preferred choice up to 2.2GHz. As an alternative, GaN HEMT technology enables high efficiency, large breakdown voltage, high power denisty, and significantly higher broadband performance due to higher transition frequency and smaller periphery resulting in the smaller input and output capacitances and less parasitics.