• Journal of IKEEE
• /
• v.26 no.4
• /
• pp.722-727
• /
• 2022

In this paper, we present the design and characterization of a power amplifier (PA) monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) in the X-band. The device is designed using a 0.25 ㎛ gate length AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) on SiC process. The developed X-band AlGaN/GaN power amplifier MMIC achieves small signal gain of over 21.6 dB and output power more than 46.11 dBm (40.83 W) in the entire band of 9 GHz to 10 GHz. Its power added efficiency (PAE) is 43.09% ~ 44.47% and the chip dimensions are 3.6 mm × 4.3 mm. The generated output power density is 2.69 W/mm². It seems that the developed AlGaN/GaN power amplifier MMIC could be applicable to various X-band radar systems operating X-band.

• Electronics and Telecommunications Trends
• /
• v.34 no.5
• /
• pp.71-80
• /
• 2019

Gallium nitride (GaN) can be used in high-voltage, high-power-density/-power, and high-speed devices owing to its characteristics of wide bandgap, high carrier concentration, and high electron mobility/saturation velocity. In this study, we investigate the technology trends for X-/Ku-band GaN RF power devices and MMIC power amplifiers, focusing on gate-length scaling, channel structure, and power density for GaN RF power devices and output power level and output power density for GaN MMIC power amplifiers. Additionally, we review the technology trends in gallium arsenide (GaAs) RF power devices and MMIC power amplifiers and analyze the technology trends in RF power devices and MMIC power amplifiers based on both GaAs and GaN. Furthermore, we discuss the current direction of national research by examining the national and international technology trends with respect to X-/Ku-band power devices and MMIC power amplifiers.

• Proceedings of the IEEK Conference
• /
• 1998.10a
• /
• pp.637-640
• /
• 1998

A 35 ㎓ GaAs MMIC power amplifier was designed using a monolithic technology with AlGaAs/InGaAs/GaAs power PM-HEMTs, rectangualr spiral inductors and Si3N4 MIM capacitors. The GaAs power MESFETs in the input and output stages have total gate widths of 120 um and 320 um, respectively. Total S21 gain of 10.82dB and S11 of -16.26 dB were obtained from the designed MMIC power amplifier at 35 ㎓. And the chip size of the MMIC amplifier was 1.4$\times$0.8 $\textrm{mm}^2$

• The Journal of Korean Institute of Electromagnetic Engineering and Science
• /
• v.28 no.1
• /
• pp.1-9
• /
• 2017

In this paper, ETRI's $0.25{\mu}m$ GaN MMIC process is introduced and the fabricated results of X-Band 3 W power amplifier MMIC are discussed. The one-stage X-Band 3 W power amplifier MMIC using the $0.25{\mu}m$ GaN MMIC devices has been designed and fabricated. From the fabricated GaN MMIC, the characteristics of the $0.25{\mu}m$ GaN MMIC process and devices are evaluated and analyzed. The X-band power amplifier MMIC shows output power of 3.5 W, gain of 10 dB, and power-added efficiency of 35 %.

• Journal of IKEEE
• /
• v.23 no.1
• /
• pp.181-187
• /
• 2019

In this paper, we demonstrated a power amplifier monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) for X-band radar applications. It utilizes commercial $0.25{\mu}m$ GaN-based high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) technology and delivers more than 20 W of output power. The developed GaN-based power amplifier MMIC has small signal gain of over 22 dB and saturated output power of over 43.3 dBm (21.38 W) in a pulse operation mode with pulse width of $200{\mu}s$ and duty cycle of 4% over the entire band of 9 to 10 GHz. The chip dimensions are $3.5mm{\times}2.3mm$, generating the output power density of $2.71W/mm^2$. Its power added efficiency (PAE) is 42.6-50.7% in the frequency bandwidth from 9 to 10 GHz. The developed GaN-based power amplifier MMIC is expected to be applied in a variety of X-band radar applications.

• The Journal of Korean Institute of Electromagnetic Engineering and Science
• /
• v.27 no.11
• /
• pp.1019-1022
• /
• 2016

In this paper, a 2~16 GHz GaN wideband power amplifier MMIC s designed and fabricated using the nonuniform power amplifier design technique that utilizes drain shunt capacitors to simultaneously provide each transistor with the optimum load impedance and phase balance between input and output transmission lines. The power amplifier MMIC chip that is fabricated using the $0.25{\mu}m$ GaN HEMT foundry process of Win Semiconductors occupies an area of $3.9mm{\times}3.1mm$ and shows a linear gain of larger than 12 dB and an input return loss of greater than 10 dB. Under a continuous-wave mode, it has a saturated output power of 36.2~38.5 dBm and a power-added efficiency of about 8~16 % in 2 to 16 GHz.

• The Journal of Korean Institute of Electromagnetic Engineering and Science
• /
• v.26 no.7
• /
• pp.620-626
• /
• 2015

In this paper, a 2~6 GHz wideband GaN power amplifier MMIC is designed and fabricated using a second-order all-pass filter for input impedance matching and an LC parallel resonant circuit for minimizing an output reactance component of the transistor. The second-order all-pass filter used for wideband lossy matching is modified in an asymmetric configuration to compensate the effect of channel resistance of the GaN transistor. The power amplifier MMIC chip that is fabricated using a $0.25{\mu}m$ GaN HEMT foundry process of Win Semiconductors, Corp. is $2.6mm{\times}1.3mm$ and shows a flat linear gain of about 13 dB and input return loss of larger than 10 dB. Under a saturated power mode, it also shows output power of 38.6~39.8 dBm and a power-added efficiency of 31.3~43.4 % in 2 to 6 GHz.

• Journal of IKEEE
• /
• v.23 no.2
• /
• pp.425-430
• /
• 2019

This work describes the design and characterization of a X-band power amplifier (PA) monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) using a $0.25{\mu}m$ gate length gallium nitride (GaN) high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) technology. The developed X-band power amplifier MMIC has small signal gain of over 22.7 dB and saturated output power of 43.02 dBm (20.04 W) over the entire band of 9 to 10 GHz. Maximum saturated output power is a 43.84 dBm (24.21 W) at 9.5 GHz. Its power added efficiency (PAE) is 41.0~51.24% and the chip dimensions are $3.7mm{\times}2.3mm$, generating the output power density of $2.84W/mm^2$. The developed GaN power amplifier MMIC is expected to be applied in a variety of X-band radar applications.

• Electronics and Telecommunications Trends
• /
• v.37 no.5
• /
• pp.11-21
• /
• 2022

GaN (Gallium-Nitride) is a promising candidate material in various radio frequency applications due to its inherent properties including wide bandgap, high carrier concentration, and high electron mobility/saturation velocity. Notably, AlGaN/GaN heterostructure field effect transistor exhibits high operating voltage and high power-density/power at high frequency. In next-generation radar systems, GaN power transistors and monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs) are significant components of transmitting and receiving modules. In this paper, we introduce technological trends for C-/X-/Ku-band GaN MMICs including power amplifiers, low noise amplifiers and switch MMICs, focusing on the status of GaN MMIC fabrication technology and GaN foundry service. Additionally, we review the research for the localization of C-/X-/Ku-band GaN MMICs using in-house GaN transistor and MMIC fabrication technology. We also discuss the results of C-/X-/Ku-band GaN MMICs developed at Defense Materials and Components Convergence Research Department in ETRI.

• ETRI Journal
• /
• v.39 no.5
• /
• pp.737-745
• /
• 2017

A 6-GHz-to-18-GHz monolithic nonuniform distributed power amplifier has been designed using the load modulation of increased series gate capacitance. This amplifier was implemented using a $0.25-{\mu}m$ AlGaN/GaN HEMT process on a SiC substrate. With the proposed load modulation, we enhanced the amplifier's simulated performance by 4.8 dB in output power, and by 13.1% in power-added efficiency (PAE) at the upper limit of the bandwidth, compared with an amplifier with uniform gate coupling capacitors. Under the pulse-mode condition of a $100-{\mu}s$ pulse period and a 10% duty cycle, the fabricated power amplifier showed a saturated output power of 39.5 dBm (9 W) to 40.4 dBm (11 W) with an associated PAE of 17% to 22%, and input/output return losses of more than 10 dB within 6 GHz to 18 GHz.