Date: 20/06/2012
New 40-volt, 0.25-um, GaN-on-SiC HEMT process die product family from Cree
Cree, Inc. introduces the new 40-volt, 0.25-um, GaN-on-SiC HEMT process die product family with power and bandwidth advantages in Ku Band. These devices can replace travel-wave tubes with solid-state amplifiers for improved efficiency and reliability. Cree is showcasing this tech at the 2012 IEEE International Microwave Symposium to be held June 17-22 in Montreal, Canada.
“Cree’s 0.25-um GaN HEMT die product family offers significant improvements in gain, efficiency and power density compared to GaAs transistors over the same frequency range,” said Tom Dekker, director RF sales and marketing, Cree. “The higher gain allows for more effective power combining schemes and enables solid-state power amplifiers to be produced with hundreds to multi-kilowatts at C-Band, X-Band and Ku Band.”
Market applications include marine radar, medical imaging, industrial and satellite communication. Compared to GaAs transistors, solid-state amplifiers to save power and space. The higher efficiency of GaN HEMT power amplifiers can result in reduced transmitter power consumption.
“Cree’s 0.25-um GaN HEMT products demonstrate breakthrough performance in improved efficiency and bandwidth by enabling new classes of transistor operation not achievable with GaAs-based transistors,” explained Ray Pengelly, RF business development manager, Cree. “Good examples are switch-mode HPAs, which have been reported to offer greater than 80-percent power-added efficiency at microwave frequencies. GaN HEMT HPAs have been produced with instantaneous bandwidths from 6 to 18 GHz at power levels exceeding 10 W. These 0.25-um GaN performance levels provide system engineers leapfrog advantages to re-invent their GaAs and tube transmitters.”
The new GaN HEMT die products (CGHV1J006D, CGHV1J025D and CGHV1J070D) are rated at 6 W, 25 W and 70 W of output power at 40 V of drain voltage with an operating frequency range through Ku Band.
For more info: www.cree.com/rf