Teledyne Microwave Solutions Inc of Mountain View, CA, USA (TMS, a business unit of Teledyne Technologies Inc) has launched a line of gallium nitride (GaN)-based wideband amplifiers that is claimed to further lower the form factor threshold for the 0.1-6.0GHz frequency range.
The new line consists of five GaN wideband amplifier models (TSA-213241, TSA-213242, TSA-213243, TSA-213244 and TSA-213245) that are claimed to raise the bar for SWaP (size, weight and power) in this category of GaN amplifiers while meeting the stringent airborne requirements of the most demanding commercial and military applications. The dimensions (excluding connectors) are 2.5" long by 2" wide by 0.42" high (just 2.1 cubic inches).
TMS says that it has created a modular, non-ITAR line of amplifiers that it can quickly tailor to the specific needs of customers. With wider bandwidths that enable more design flexibility, the new GaN amplifier line targest the most demanding SWaP needs of airborne markets.
"This GaN line is the latest addition to the portfolio we have developed over decades, including our AVP catalog series," says Dan Cheadle, chief technology officer of Cougar Products for Teledyne Microwave Solutions. "Leveraging the high power output and high efficiency of GaN, these amps offer a durable GaN solution that delivers the highest output power over wide bandwidths in the smallest footprint possible today."
This family of amplifiers was designed and manufactured with attention to thermal requirements to ensure the high reliability required in the most demanding applications. With a calculated mean time between failures (MTBF) of over 40,000 hours @ +85°C, the amplifiers are suitable for airborne applications as well as challenging land-based environments.
Depending on frequency band, the output power ranges between 15W and 40W. Each amplifier includes pre-amp and driver stages to produce a minimum overall gain of 50dB. Internal control circuitry ensures safe startup so supply voltages can be applied in any order. In addition to normal DC connections via a 15-pin Micro D connector, other control/interface features available via the connector include a TX enable/disable TTL command (100ns typical, 200ns maximum); over-temperature automatic shutdown and associated alarm (TTL); and the ability to monitor unit temperature via an analog voltage that is proportional to case temperature.
