S-Band GaN Single-Chip Front End for Active Electronically Scanned Array With 40-W Output Power and 1.75-dB Noise Figure

Abstract

The design, realization, and tests of an S-band gallium nitride (GaN) monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) single-chip front end (SCFE) is presented. The MMIC, realized on the 250-nm gate length GaN process available from the united monolithic semiconductor, integrates high-power and low-noise amplification together with the transmit (Tx)-receive (Rx) switch in a $7\times 7$ mm2 chip area. The SCFE has been conceived for active electronically scanned antenna applications in S-band. In the Rx mode, noise figure (NF) lower than 1.75 dB and gain better than 30 dB have been measured. In the Tx mode, output power and power added efficiency better than 45 dBm and 42%, respectively, have been achieved, with an associated gain higher than 35 dB. Such performance has been measured over a 13% fractional bandwidth in S-band. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first GaN SCFE operating in S-band.