A 5-13 GHz GaN Power Amplifier With Maximum 51.5 dBm Output Power Using 16-Way Power Combining Technique

A 5-13 GHz high-power monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) power amplifier (PA) using a 0.25 mu m Gallium Nitride (GaN) high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) technology, is presented. The MMIC PA is designed with a three-stage topology. A significant augmentation in output power is realized through an innovative output matching network that employs power combining techniques. Concurrently, the input matching network and the inter-stage matching network are intentionally designed with higher loss characteristics to broaden the frequency band and enhance the overall stability. The PA, with a chip size of 4.8 x 5.1 mm(2), achieves an output power of 48.9 to 51.5 dBm, with a power-added efficiency of 19.9 to 33.5% at a drain voltage of 40V over the frequency range of 5-13 GHz.