4 June 2012

Cree launches X-band fully matched 50-100W GaN HEMTs for commercial radar and satcoms

Cree Inc of Durham, NC, USA has launched high-efficiency X-band, fully matched gallium nitride (GaN) high-electron-mobility transistors (HEMTs) for commercial radar and satellite communications applications. Rated at 50W and 100W, the devices deliver power-added efficiency (PAE) and performance improvements compared with existing gallium arsenide (GaAs) metal-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MESFETs) or traveling wave tube (TWT) based amplifiers.

“The performance advantages of higher power ratings, higher linear efficiency and higher gain, combined with a reduced footprint, offer dramatic advantages when compared to GaAs MESFET transistors or TWT amplifiers,” says Jim Milligan, director, RF and microwave. “This new product family will deliver comprehensive system benefits, including superior thermal management and significantly-reduced power supply load,” he believes. “The new product family also offers a lower-cost alternative to TWT amplifiers and associated high-voltage power supplies and linearization systems while improving overall system reliability.”

The X-band product family consists of four new GaN HEMT transistors: two 7.9-8.4GHz devices for satellite communications (the 50W CGHV96050F1 with 30% (linear) PAE and the 100W CGH96100F1 with 30% (linear) PAE) and two 8.4-9.6GHz devices for commercial radar applications (the 50W CGHV96050F2 with 50% (Psat) PAE and the 100W CGHV96100F2 with 45% (Psat) PAE). All four are offered in a small-footprint (0.9” x 0.7”) package.

The efficiency advantages in using the new GaN devices can be up to three times greater compared with available GaAs MESFET transistors, Cree claims. Further, the wide video bandwidth of GaN HEMTs allows use in multi-carrier applications with two-tone spacing up to 70MHz.

The fully matched GaN HEMTs complement the previously released packaged MMICs CMPA5585025F and CMPA801B025F, which can also be used as drivers for the CGHV96050 or CGHV96100.

Cree is exhibiting the new devices in booth 2125 at the 2012 IEEE International Microwave Symposium (IMS) in Montreal, Canada (17-22 June).

Tags: Cree GaN HEMTs

Visit: www.cree.com/rf