Decade bandwidth agile GaN power amplifier exceeding 50% efficiency

Abstract

Minimizing size, weight, and power consumption (SWaP) in any communication system requires that the transmitter power amplifier operate at peak possible efficiency at all times and at all frequencies. Here a GaN watt-level transmitter is presented that operates across 0.2 to 3 GHz, with no matching network reconfiguration, and broadband efficiency exceeding 50%. Besides minimizing power consumption, this design provides the required power simultaneously with having the smallest possible transistor size, power supply, and heat sink. Frequency agility is across the entire PA bandwidth, and no circulator is required to operate in phased-array applications. Signal modulation compatibility is also discussed.