In conjunction with the 2013 Government Microcircuit Applications and Critical Technology conference (GOMACTech 13) in Las Vegas (11-14 March), RF front-end component maker and foundry services provider TriQuint Semiconductor Inc of Hillsboro, OR, USA has launched a 25W Ku-band gallium nitride (GaN) RF power amplifier for satellite communications, as well as a broadband integrated packaged solution that combines a limiter with a low-noise amplifier (LNA) for use in radar and electronic warfare. Both solutions deliver unique advantages for commercial and defense systems, the firm claims.
Operating from a 25V/1A DC bias, the new 13.75-15.35GHz (Ku-band) TGA2579-FL GaN RF power amplifier provides 25W (+44dBm) of output power, +48dBm output third-order intercept point (OIP3), 32dB of small-signal gain, and 30% of power-added efficiency (PAE). The device is supplied in a ground-signal ground (GSG) 14-pin SMT package so it can be mounted on the top or underside of multi-layer circuit boards, giving designers maximum flexibility.
TriQuint says that the TGA2543-SM’s high gain (+17dBm mid-band) and wide operating bandwidth (4-20GHz) provides broad versatility in a single package. Operating from a 5V/100mA DC bias, the integrated limiter/LNA has RF input limiting of 4W CW (+36dBm), +28dBm (OIP3), and adjustable gain control. Robust protection of sensitive receiver circuits and low-noise amplification (with a noise figure of 2dB) are achieved in less space with fewer devices, says the firm. The device’s hermetically sealed, 22-lead 7mm x 7mm ceramic QFN surface-mount package meets MIL-STD 883H TM 1014.13 condition A1/C1, it adds.
The TGA2579-FL and TGM2543-SM are in production. Samples and evaluation boards are available.
