High Performance Vertical MOSFET Technology Enables Phased Array Radar Applications

The silicon vertical MOSFET RF power amplifier described in this document is one of the industry's first to utilize high voltage vertical technology. The power amplifier produces more than 25 W of peak pulsed power in the L-Band from 1200 MHz to 1400 MHz for ground based radar applications. Exhibiting nearly 20dB of gain, 50% efficiency at 48 volt operation with a 200 musec pulse width and 10% duty cycle conditions produces high performance in a surface mount package that is less than 200 mils square. Cross sections of the device architecture as well as the high device impedances achieved are shown. The effects of varying the drain voltage and current are also explored.