Optimum design method of distributed power-FET amplifiers. Application to 2-18GHz MMIC exhibiting improved power performances

Michel Campovecchio (1) , B. Lebras (2) , M. Lajugie (2) , Juan Obregon (1)

1 IRCOM - Institut de Recherche en Communications Optiques et Microondes
2 Thales Research and Technology [Palaiseau]

A suitable and effective design method of distributed power amplifiers, based on the optimum FET load requirement for power operation, is proposed in this paper. An analytical determination of the gate and drain line characteristic admittances provides both the initial values and right directions for an optimum design. The best trade-offs between wide band and high power operation have been investigated. To validate the method, a FET amplifier demonstrator with a gate periphery of 1.2 mm has been manufactured at the Texas Instruments foundry. The MMIC amplifier demonstrated state of the art power density performance of 340 mW/mm over the 2-18 GHz band associated with 14.2% power added efficiency, 26.5% drain efficiency and 26.1 dBm output power at 1 dB compression in CW operation.

Domaines: Electronique

Michel Campovecchio, B. Lebras, M. Lajugie, Juan Obregon. Optimum design method of distributed power-FET amplifiers. Application to 2-18GHz MMIC exhibiting improved power performances. IEEE MTT-S Microwave and Millimeter-Wave Monolithic Circuits Symposium, May 1994, San Diego, CA, United States. pp. 125-128, ⟨10.1109/MCS.1994.332128⟩. ⟨hal-01067061⟩