High reliability power GaAs MESFET under RF overdrive condition

It has been confirmed that the SiO/sub 2/-passivation power GaAs MESFETs are very stable compared with the SiN-passivation FETs, especially in terms of RF overdrive operation. Based on the overdrive reliability study that has been conducted, high-power GaAs MESFETs were designed and fabricated. No degradation was observed up to 1500 hours of operation even under very high stress (8-dB gain compression) for these power GaAs MESFETs.<>