GaN MMIC technology for microwave and millimeter-wave applications

In this paper we demonstrate the merits of GaN MMIC technology for high bandwidth millimeter-wave power applications and for microwave robust LNA receiver applications. We report the development of a broadband two-stage microstrip Ka-band GaN MMIC power amplifier, with 15dB of flat small signal gain over the 27.5GHz to 34.5GHz frequency range and 4W of saturated output power at 28GHz, with a power added efficiency of 23.8%. This is to the best of our knowledge the best combination of output power, bandwidth and efficiency reported for a GaN MMIC in Ka-band frequency range. We also report a robust two-stage wideband (0.5GHz-12GHz) GaN LNA MMIC, which can survive 4W of incident input RF power in CW mode without input power protective circuitry. The presented LNA MMIC has, to the best of our knowledge, the best combination of NF, bandwidth, survivability and low power consumption reported to date in GaN technology.