Ka-band up-link CMOS/GaAs power amplifier design for satellite-based wireless sensor

In this paper, two ka-band up-link power amplifiers (PAs) using different technology are designed for satellite communication systems. Using 180-nm CMOS process, two stage common-source (CS) power amplifier attained the small signal gain of 12.6 dB, the peak output power of 13 dBm and power-added efficiency of 25.3%. Using 150-nm GaAs pseudomorphic high electron mobility transistor (p-HEMT) devices, two-stage power amplifier attained the small signal gain of 16.3 dB, the output 1-dB compression power (OP
_1dB
) 26 dBm and the power-added efficiency at OP
_1dB
of 25.7%.