Limitations and Implementation Strategies of Interstage Matching in a 6-W, 28-38-GHz GaN Power Amplifier MMIC

In this article, we summarize the theoretical matching boundaries and show the limitations they implicate for real-world amplifier design. Starting with a common schematic prototype, we investigate the question of how to realize its electrical response in a densely routed, massively parallelized lay...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:IEEE transactions on microwave theory and techniques 2021-05, Vol.69 (5), p.2541-2553
Main Authors: Neininger, Philipp, John, Laurenz, Thome, Fabian, Friesicke, Christian, Bruckner, Peter, Quay, Rudiger, Zwick, Thomas
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Amplifier design
Bandwidths
Equivalent circuits
Extremely high frequencies
Gallium nitride
Gallium nitride (GaN)
HEMTs
high-electron-mobility transistors (HEMTs)
Impedance
Integrated circuits
Ka-band
Logic gates
Matching
millimeter wave (mmW)
MMIC (circuits)
MODFETs
monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs)
Power amplifiers
power amplifiers (PAs)
Signal processing
space mapping
Topology
wideband matching
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Summary:In this article, we summarize the theoretical matching boundaries and show the limitations they implicate for real-world amplifier design. Starting with a common schematic prototype, we investigate the question of how to realize its electrical response in a densely routed, massively parallelized layout. To that end, we develop a comprehensive study on the application of space-mapping techniques toward the design of high-power amplifiers (HPAs). We derive three reference design procedures and compare their performance in terms of convergence, speed, and practicality when laying out a densely routed HPA interstage matching network. Subsequently, we demonstrate the usefulness of the study by designing the networks of a compact three-stage eight-way wideband HPA in the Ka-band. The processed monolithic microwave integrated circuit features a 1-dB large-signal bandwidth of more than 11 GHz (a fractional bandwidth of 32.8%) and thus covers most of the Ka-band with an output power exceeding 6 W in 3 dB of gain compression. This demonstrates the highest combination of power and bandwidth to date using a reactively matched topology in the Ka-band.
ISSN:0018-9480
1557-9670
DOI:10.1109/TMTT.2021.3065108