Tokyo-based Mitsubishi Electric Corp is expanding its lineup of gallium nitride high-electron-mobility transistors (GaN HEMTs) for use in base transceiver stations (BTS) operating in the 3.5GHz band of fourth generation (4G) mobile communication systems.
As a result of the deployment of long-term evolution (LTE) and LTE-Advanced mobile networks, demand is rising for BTS that can offer increased data volume, smaller size and lower power consumption. In response, Mitsubishi Electric has developed the four new GaN HEMTs for use in macro BTS and the large numbers of micro cells that mobile network operators are employing to increase the data capacity of their advanced 4G networks built with LTE and LTE-Advanced technologies.
Pcture: (From left to right) Mitsubishi Electric's new plastic-molded packaged (MGFS53G38ET1 and MGFS50G38ET1) and flangeless ceramic-packaged (MGFS38G38L2 and MGFS37G38L2) GaN HEMTs for 3.5GHz 4G mobile communication macro- and small-cell BTS applications.
Mitsubishi Electric's expanded product line-up includes a flangeless ceramic package (in 180W and 90W models) for macro-cell BTS and a plastic-molded package (in 7W and 5W models) for micro-cell BTS. Operating from a drain voltage of 50V and at a frequency of 3.4-3.8GHz, the four new GaN HEMTs offer output power and efficiency levels that are claimed to be among the highest currently available.
Regarding drain efficiency, the 90W (MGFS50G38ET1) and 180W (MGFS53G38ET1) models for macro-cell BTS achieve 74% and 70%, respectively, and the 7W (MGFS38G38L2) and 5W (MGFS37G38L2) models for micro-cell BTS achieve 67%. High efficiency allows the use of a simple cooling system, which contributes to smaller BTS size and lower power consumption.
The flangeless ceramic package also reduces the size of the devices themselves and the power amplifier modules in which they are deployed.
Samples of the four new GaN HEMTs will be released starting on 1 February. Going forward, Mitsubishi Electric says that it will continue to expand its GaN-HEMT lineup for use at different output powers and frequencies, and in mobile communication systems beyond 4G.