Reactively Matched 2-18 GHz Broadband GaN-on-SiC MMIC Driver Amplifier

The design and measured performance of a 2-18 GHz GaN-on-SiC MMIC driver amplifier is presented. The reactively matched design improves power-added efficiency at mid-compression levels, as compared to distributed amplifiers, where driver amplifiers operate when saturating high power amplifiers. To achieve such bandwidth, an on-chip bias tee became a main focus of the design. The design achieved a small signal gain of 18.7 dB ± 3 dB and a minimum output power of 30 dBm at 3 dB compression, with an associated PAE between 15 and 25 %.