Power Amplifier Technology at Microwave and Millimeter-Wave Frequencies: an Overview

This paper gives an overview on the performance of variety of technologies for manufacturing of power amplifier MMICs at higher microwave (MW) and millimeter-wave (MMW) frequency ranges. Si-, GaAs- and InP-based power MMICs are compared in light of different performances with emphasis on maximum output power achieved. Some interactions between the output power, PAE and gain are also observed. Active devices play a key role in the power amplifier performance. Very attractive properties of mHEMT technology make it a serious candidate for power amplification above 100 GHz. At lower frequency-bands mHEMT can also rival the well-established pHEMT technology. GaN HEMTs offers potential for highest power per chip through Ka-band, but the efficiency exhibited is two times lower as compared to pHEMT MMICs. There is only few published power MMICs above 100 GHz, where the achieved output-powers are fare below the theoretical limit.