Highly linear efficient HBT MMIC power amplifiers

The design and performance of Heterojunction Bipolar Transistor MMIC power amplifiers that have demonstrated two-tone CW 1.6 watt and 5 watt power levels, with 35% power-added efficiency, and low intermodulation distortion (29 dBc at 5 dB back-off from 2 dB gain compression), are described. This is the first reported linearity performance on HBT MMIC amplifiers with characteristics comparable to the best reported results for discrete hybrid MESFET, PHEMT, and HBT amplifiers.