M/A-COM Technology Solutions Inc of Lowell, MA, USA (which makes analog semiconductors, components and subassemblies for RF, microwave and millimeter-wave applications) has launched a monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) power amplifier for high-power broadband applications.
The MAAP-010168 is a two-stage amplifier operating in 500MHz-3.0GHz frequency range. The device is fully matched for input and output at 50Ω, eliminating the need for any sensitive external RF tuning components.
Fabricated using a high-reliability pHEMT process to realize higher power, the MAAP-010168 has (unlike competing products, it is claimed) high reliability with added efficiency and gain, providing a high-power off-the-shelf solution. With a gate bias of -0.7V, output power at 1dB gain compression point (P1dB) is 39dB and saturated output power (Psat) is 41dB. The amplifier provides a nominal gain of 24dB with input and output return loss of 10dB across the 500MHz to 3.0GHz band – altogether enabling use in high-power solutions for broadband applications.
“The MAAP-010168 is well suited to a range of applications due to its fully matched, broadband power performance,” says product manager Paul Beasly. “The convenient 10V bias operation, high gain and high power performance from 500MHz to 3GHz make the device incredibly versatile in multiple RF and microwave applications such as repeater amplifiers, mobile infrastructure, air traffic control radars, weather radar, radio communication and test equipment,” he adds.
