Design of W-Band GaN-on-Silicon Power Amplifier Using Low Impedance Lines
Source abstract
Abstract
In this paper, a high-power amplifier integrated circuit (IC) in gallium-nitride (GaN) on silicon (Si) technology is presented at a W-band (75–110 GHz). In order to mitigate the losses caused by relatively high loss tangent of Si substrate compared to silicon carbide (SiC), low-impedance microstrip lines (20–30 Ω) are adopted in the impedance matching networks. They allow for the impedance transformation between 50 Ω and very low impedances of the wide-gate transistors used for high power generation. Each stage is matched to produce enough power to drive the next stage. A Lange coupler is employed to combine two three-stage common source amplifiers, providing high output power and good input/output return loss. The designed power amplifier IC was fabricated in the commercially available 60 nm GaN-on-Si high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) foundry. From on-wafer probe measurements, it exhibits the output power higher than 26.5 dBm and power added efficiency (PAE) higher than 8.5% from 88 to 93 GHz with a large-signal gain > 10.5 dB. Peak output power is measured to be 28.9 dBm with a PAE of 13.3% and a gain of 9.9 dB at 90 GHz, which corresponds to the power density of 1.94 W/mm. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this result belongs to the highest output power and power density among the reported power amplifier ICs in GaN-on-Si HEMT technologies operating at the W-band.
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Research context
OpenAlex topics: Radio Frequency Integrated Circuit Design · GaN-based semiconductor devices and materials · Advanced Power Amplifier Design
SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.
Affiliations
Department of Electronic Engineering, Sogang University, Seoul 04107, Korea
Agency Defense Development, Daejeon 34075, Korea
Spaceborne SAR R&D Laboratory, LIGNex1, Yongin-si 16911, Korea
Funding
Agency for Defense Development
References (17)
Show source-provided references
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