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11 June 2008

 

Cree samples high-efficiency 90W wideband GaN HEMT

Cree Inc of Durham, NC, USA has released samples of a highly efficient 90W GaN HEMT microwave transistor for general-purpose military and industrial applications such as electronic warfare, radar, tactical radios and EMC applications. The firm claims that it provides superior performance over wide bandwidths compared to other technologies such as GaAs MESFET or Si LDMOSFET.

The CGH40090PP consists of a pair of GaN high-electron-mobility transistors (HEMTs) providing over 90W of saturated power in a small, industry-standard Gemini ceramic-metal package. Its performance has been demonstrated in a balanced 500-2500MHz instantaneous bandwidth reference amplifier that offers 14dB typical small-signal gain, 90W typical CW output power, and typical drain efficiencies of 55% over the entire band. Cree claims that this amplifier provides the best-known efficiency in the industry for any 5:1 bandwidth amplifier over this frequency range and power level.

“The CGH40090PP is an important addition to our general-purpose GaN HEMT product family that can be used in either push-pull or balanced amplifier designs,” says Jim Milligan, director of RF and microwave products. “The reference design amplifier demonstrates state-of-the-art efficiency over such a wide frequency range. It is another example of how Cree’s GaN HEMT products can enable highly efficient systems,” he adds. “The more efficient the amplifier, the less heat generated. This can positively impact system thermal design, cooling costs, size and weight, and DC power distribution.”

The CGH40090PP complements Cree’s range of broadband GaN HEMT general-purpose microwave transistors now available at power levels of 10W, 25W, 35W, 45W and 90W.

See related item:

GaN-based LEDs the main consumer of nitride materials

See: Wide-bandgap RF devices: a $100m market by 2010

Search: Cree GaN HEMT

Visit: www.cree.com