Ka-Band 2W/4W MMIC Power Amplifiers In A 7 x 7 mm Low-Cost SMT Package

Abstract

The development of PHEMT, 24 to 31 GHz 2W/4W power amplifier MMICs are described. The amplifier was designed with highly integrated distributed line-based low-loss power combining design techniques utilizing a 0.15µm GaAs PHEMT production process. The designed 2W/4W power amplifiers exhibit 20 dB of small signal gain, 33 dBm and 35 dBm 1 dB gain compression output power respectively in between 24 and 31 GHz frequency range. Those MMIC PAs are assembled in 7 x 7 mm low-cost SMT packages, and obtained nearly identical RF performances as the die parts.

Introduction

Low-cost, high power amplifiers (HPA) are crucial to the development of Ka-band commercial wireless links such as local multipoint distribution service (LMDS), and point-to-point radio, as the market for these applications mature. Meanwhile, system designers are waiting for a next generation of packaged HPA which has the industry standard automated pick and place assembling compatibility.

For Ka-band HPAs, several reports have been published. In this paper, we report three stages of PHEMT based on 2W and 4W MMIC HPAs in a 7 x 7 mm SMT package that achieved state-of-the-art performances.