Based on its recent analysis of the gallium nitride (GaN)-based devices market, Frost & Sullivan has recognized Advantech Wireless of Montreal, Canada (which manufactures satellite, RF equipment and microwave systems) with the 2014 North American Frost & Sullivan Award for New Product Innovation Leadership.
Frost & Sullivan presents the award annually to the company that has developed an innovative element in a product by leveraging leading-edge technologies. The award recognizes the value-added features/benefits of the product and the increased return on investment (ROI) that it offers customers which, in turn, increases customer acquisition and overall market penetration potential.
The market research firm says that Advantech Wireless's new series of GaN-based solid-state power amplifiers (SSPAs), together with other telecom devices, have revolutionized the GaN device market with their small form factor, reduced power consumption and heat generation, as well as capital and operating cost-efficiency.
Until recently, GaN’s linearity, processing, biasing and cost characteristics appeared to limit the semiconductor’s use to devices in low-frequency commercial applications and defense communications, where price was not much of an issue. Aiming to bring the material into higher-power commercial markets, Advantech Wireless was convinced of GaN’s potential in radio-frequency power amplification and other telecom applications.
Advantech Wireless says it hence dedicated significant resources to developing technologies such as its high-power amplifier, which can simultaneously transmit to all satellite transponders from a single antenna. This capability facilitates cost-efficient, energy-saving communications connectivity by enabling the replacement of multiple antennas and up to hundreds of travelling-wave tubes(TWTs)/klystrons, the firm adds.
“Advantech Wireless noted that the introduction of GaN high-electron-mobility transistors (HEMTs) in early 2000 left an undeniable mark on the satellite communication landscape,” comments Frost & Sullivan research analyst Mike Valenti. “Therefore, the company launched its ambitious R&D program in 2006 to design and manufacture a complete line of C-, X-, and Ku-band SSPAs [solid-state power amplifiers] that could meet the most demanding satellite communication applications.”
Another outcome of the company’s intense R&D efforts is the SapphireBlu Series of UltraLinear GaN technology-based high-power amplifiers. The greater ground power, linearity and cost-savings of the SapphireBlu Series, along with Advantech Wireless’ 13m A-line antenna in a major direct-to-home (DTH) uplink system in Latin America, allowed viewers in Latin America and Brazil to watch the World Cup 2014 soccer tournament played in Brazil over the summer.
Advantech Wireless says that its products can enable key reductions in the size, weight and power of telecoms equipment from the ultra-high frequency (UHF) band to the Ka-band in satellite communications.
“Advantech Wireless develops solutions that balance satellite spectral efficiency to provide the smallest occupied bandwidth at enhanced link availability,” comments Valenti. “This results in capital and operating cost-savings that can be passed along to the customer.”
With regard to device efficiency, the firm’s GaN-based SSPA provides a 65% increase in mean time between failure (MTBF) compared with its similar GaAs-based SSPA product due to the reliability of components, number of components, and the electrical efficiency of the former. The SapphireBlu Series high-power SSPAs are able to achieve up to 6kW in RF power, proving their reliability in the most environmentally stringent and demanding work conditions, it is claimed.
