Wolfspeed has introduced two new GaN MMICs, which the company calls the first 50-V GaN devices specifically designed for S-band radar (2.7- to 3.5-GHz) applications. These new 50-V GaN MMICs enable radar-system designers to reduce time to market with a less costly, less complex 50-V power-amplifier line-up while delivering the most efficiency possible.

With a best-in-class combination of power, gain, and efficiency in low-cost plastic packaging, the company said, these new MMICs, available in 15-W and 30-W options, can operate as drivers for higher-voltage HEMT devices used in the output stage for S-band civil and military pulsed-radar amplifiers, or as output stage devices for S-band phased-array radar applications.

“Wolfspeed will demonstrate the industry’s first 50-V MMICs for S-band radar systems, our 15-W/50-V and 30-W/50-V S-band MMICs, at the 2017 International Microwave Symposium (IMS),” said Jim Milligan, RF and microwave director, Wolfspeed. “50-V operation offers many advantages over 28-V operation. In addition to enabling wider bandwidth performance from the simplified impedance matching, the higher voltage results in lower current and therefore lower I²R losses in power distribution systems. The higher voltage also generates a higher RF power density resulting in a physically smaller MMIC for a given RF output power, which supports smaller, lighter weight radar systems.”

The new MMICs complement Wolfspeed’s previously released high-performance CGHV35150 and CGH31500/CGH35400 output-stage devices by operating as driver stages for these 150-W and 400-W devices, or as output stage devices for phased-array radar applications covering full S-band applications at 2.7 to 3.5 GHz.

Designed for frequencies spanning 2.7 to 3.5 GHz, the 15-W/50-V CMPA2735015S GaN MMIC provides 34-dB small-signal gain and 21-W output power at pulsed PSAT with a 500-μ pulse width and 10% duty cycle. The 30-W/50-V CMPA2735030S GaN MMICs are also designed for frequencies of 2.7 to 3.5 GHz and provide 34-dB small-signal gain and 41-W output power at pulsed PSAT with a 500-μ pulse width and 10% duty cycle.

In addition, the 50-V GaN MMICs feature a two-stage, 50-Ω, reactively matched amplifier design to enable high power and additional power efficiency in a 5-mm x 5-mm surface-mount QFN package. Because the part is fully matched to 50 Ω, the matching circuitry moves from the PCB and onto the MMIC chip—making the customer’s implementation easier and reducing the overall size of the design. Both MMICs are available as bare die.

For more information about CMPA2735015S, visit http://www.wolfspeed.com/CMPA2735015S. For more information about CMPA2735030S, visit http://www.wolfspeed.com/CMPA2735030S.